
Source: Unsplash
Saudi Arabia is rapidly solidifying its place as a global hub for combat sports. Most recently it hosted the heavyweight title clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh. In February, UFC makes its second appearance in the Kingdom with the highly anticipated middleweight showdown between former champion Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov, the French-Dagestan fighter renowned for his wrestling pedigree.
These fights form part of Riyadh Season which incorporates a series of internationally significant sporting events taking place in 2024 and 2025. The UFC’s first trip to Saudi Arabia came last spring when the main event saw Australia’s Robert Whittaker knock out the Russian Ikram Aliskerov inside two minutes. In addition to boxing and MMA, the season also sees the Dana White-led Power Slap championship land in the country.











