WWE and UFC staff voice safety concerns over Riyadh shows as TKO cited for prioritising earnings
WWE and UFC personnel have raised concerns about holding events in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia after Crown Jewel 2026, according to a Khel Now report published on November 11, 2026 that cites Uncrowned. The report says some current and former TKO employees believe the company is prioritising fourth-quarter results and shareholder expectations over staff safety.
TKO and WWE had publicly stated that no one would be harmed at Crown Jewel 2026, yet the report notes a missile struck the surrounding area hours after a premium live event (PLE) concluded. The article says most WWE wrestlers had left the country before the attack, but some production personnel and other TKO employees remained and expressed unease about continuing to stage events in Riyadh amid repeated missile and drone attacks blamed on Houthis from Yemen.
One unnamed employee questioned why shows were still going ahead if cancellation would cost the company large sums, and attributed the decision to concerns about quarterly earnings and shareholder payouts, saying: “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 characterised the choice as corporate greed and alleged personnel welfare was being overlooked.
Sources told Uncrowned that unease has grown among staff asked to travel to the region, and that executives appeared more focused on the US State Department’s view of safety than on internal assurances. The report summarises remarks from a company town hall in which Mark Shapiro acknowledged that cancelling Middle East events would cause financial losses while stating employee safety was more important than profits and referencing a company target to earn $5.83 billion by 2026.
Several employees criticised the company’s level of communication and contingency planning, with one source saying: “Not one email has gone out saying, ‘Here are the details and the plans for December 5th.’ That’s crazy,” and adding: “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 report also describes frustrations among production crews expected to handle events across multiple TKO properties — WWE, UFC, Power Slap and Zuffa Boxing — with some staff feeling the additional hours and responsibilities have not been properly acknowledged. It states some workers are contemplating refusing future assignments to the region but are wary of potential repercussions, including the risk of losing their jobs.
TKO had not announced any postponement or relocation of its Saudi Arabia events at the time of the report. The article says Zuffa Boxing was scheduled for November 14, 2026 in Riyadh and UFC had a Fight Night planned for December 5 in Riyadh, while 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 for security reasons.