Ben Fowlkes of Uncrowned reported on Yahoo Sports that many employees at TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of WWE and UFC, are increasingly frustrated. That’s because TKO has insisted on running its shows in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, as planned despite constant missile and drone attacks from the Houthis in Yemen.
Some employees feel like their safety hasn’t really been a priority for the company. A longtime employee said the mood got worse when TKO refused to move or delay the shows. That was even after the October 10 missile attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
One source said TKO executives only talk about what comes from the U.S. State Department, while the rest of the employees believe any safety concerns from the government should be enough to delay the shows.
“That’s what all the other sports are doing. Why can’t TKO?”
TKO will return to Riyadh on Saturday for Zuffa Boxing 13 and on December 5 for UFC Fight Night. The employees said TKO has yet to share a backup plan for the UFC show. Some have thought about refusing to travel but worry that they would be fired.
During a recent meeting with employees, Mark Shapiro, TKO’s president, promised that the company would not hesitate to cancel or delay shows in the Middle East if there was real danger or the conflict escalated further.
The WWE roster had left Riyadh by the time a missile hit an Aramco building in the King Abdullah Financial District, where Crown Jewel was originally set to take place. It happened on Sunday, less than 24 hours after the show. PWInsider reported that some members of the WWE staff were still in the city.
Even Riyadh Season, TKO’s partner for its shows in the city, postponed the Six Kings Slam tennis exhibition from October to late December following the airport attacks.