The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s debut in Saudi Arabia will likely come a little bit later than originally anticipated.
It’s currently unclear if the rescheduled event will remain a Fight Night or if it will become a pay-per-view card. As of Monday, UFC Fight Night 238 included fights such as Jairzinho Rozenstruik vs. Shamil Gaziev and Alex Perez vs. Muhammad Mokaev, but a headliner had not been announced. It’s not known if the bouts currently confirmed for the card will remain part of the new UFC Saudi Arabia event.
Saudi Arabia has become a significant player on the combat sports scene in recent months. The Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund purchased a minority stake in Professional Fighters League last summer, and Francis Ngannou faced Tyson Fury in a boxing match in Riyadh this past October. Ngannou is also slated to face Anthony Joshua in the country on March 8. Meanwhile, TKO executive Mark Shapiro revealed that the UFC received a $20 million deal to hold in Saudi Arabia.
The UFC has not made an official announcement regarding the status of its Saudi Arabia event.