WWE & UFC personnel unhappy with Saudi Arabia events as TKO continues to prioritize shareholder earnings – Report
(Courtesy : Zuffa LLC)
WWE Crown Jewel situation raised concerns
The Crown Jewel 2026 event in Saudi Arabia was among those top events in Saudi Arabia for which TKO and WWE claimed no one would get hurt. Despite fulfilling this promise, the updates and security issues from the region have not stopped making headlines. Just a few hours after the end of the PLE event, it was reported that a missile hit the surrounding area.
While all the WWE wrestlers reportedly had left the country before the attack, there are some members of production staff as well as other TKO employees who feel that the company has been prioritizing profits and shareholding over the safety of its employees.
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TKO employees accuse the company of prioritizing profits over safety
Per Uncrowned, there are various present and past employees of TKO who are unhappy with the requirement by the company to hold events in Riyadh even when there are constant attacks using missiles and drones blamed on Houthis from Yemen.
One unnamed employee has questioned why TKO is holding these events, stating that canceling or postponing them will be very expensive for the company, as its Q4 results and shareholder expectations were the main reasons for proceeding.
“Why are you still even having these shows at this point? I think the answer is, if they chose not to do the show, they would lose out on millions and millions of dollars.
From what I’ve heard, if we don’t do the shows in Saudi Arabia or [United Arab Emirates] or Doha or wherever we are going, then our fourth-quarter earnings will be off and our shareholders aren’t going to get their money.”
The employee described the situation as an example of corporate greed, alleging that the well-being of personnel was being overlooked. Another source echoed those concerns, saying that employees were increasingly uncomfortable with travelling to Saudi Arabia while the security situation remained uncertain.
TKO leadership’s assurances fail to ease employee concerns
In a company town hall meeting, Mark Shapiro admitted that the cancellation of events in the Middle East would result in financial losses, but emphasized that the safety of employees was more important than profits. He further talked about the financial success of the company and its goal to earn $5.83 billion by 2026.
Nonetheless, some employees do not seem convinced of their assurances, as per one source who spoke to Uncrowned; executives at TKO seemed to be more worried about the US State Department’s stance on the region’s safety.
“Not one email has gone out saying, ‘Here are the details and the plans for December 5th.’ That’s crazy,” said one source. “They don’t tell you anything. They just throw it at you.
How about a backup plan? How about a safety letter? ‘Hey, if x happens, we go do y. We’ll all meet here. We’ll do this. We’ll do that.’ Nothing.”
The concerns are not limited to the decision to travel. Sources also described frustration with the additional workload placed on production crews, who are sometimes expected to work events for multiple TKO properties, including WWE, UFC, Power Slap and Zuffa Boxing.
Some employees reportedly feel that the extra responsibilities and long working hours have not been adequately acknowledged.
The report also suggests that the situation has left some workers considering refusing future assignments in the region. However, concerns about possible repercussions, including losing their jobs, have made such decisions difficult.
More Saudi Arabia events planned by TKO
In spite of all the dissatisfaction shown by the people, TKO does not appear to have decided anything about postponing their Saudi Arabia matches. It appears that Zuffa Boxing will hold one of its matches on November 14 in Riyadh, while UFC has its Fight Night planned for December 5.
However, the issue attracted more attention since other sporting events in the country, such as the Six Kings Slam tennis tournament and the PIF Saudi International golf tournament, have reportedly been postponed due to security reasons.
As for the WWE, no date for the upcoming PLE in Saudi has been announced for WrestleMania 43. However, there could be different reasons for this delay.
Why are WWE and UFC employees unhappy with TKO’s Saudi Arabia events?
According to the Uncrowned report, some employees are concerned about travelling to Saudi Arabia amid ongoing missile and drone attacks. They have also reportedly criticised TKO for inadequate safety communication, a lack of clear contingency plans, and what they perceive as the company’s focus on financial targets over employee well-being.
Has TKO cancelled any upcoming WWE or UFC events in Saudi Arabia?
No. At the time of the report, TKO had not announced any postponement or relocation of its upcoming Saudi Arabia events. Zuffa Boxing was scheduled for November 14, 2026, while UFC Fight Night was planned for December 5 in Riyadh.
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