“That’s where the money is” – Disappointed Saudi bosses force Dana White to postpone much-anticipated UFC middle east card
The March 2nd card for UFC Saudi Arabia is facing postponement. The reason as per Ariel Helwani is the lack of entertaining fights.
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The UFC Saudi Arabia card on March 2nd has been postponed according to Ariel Helwani (via MMA Fighting/MMA Mania)
The UFC’s highly anticipated event in Saudi Arabia, originally scheduled for March 2, 2024, is allegedly facing a big setback. This comes after disgruntled Saudi executives forced UFC CEO Dana White to postpone the fight card. The event’s new target date is now June, according to famous MMA journalist Ariel Helwani of The MMA Hour.
The key reason given for the abrupt postponement is Saudi organizers’ displeasure with the scheduled fight card. According to sources, Saudi executives are dissatisfied with the present lineup, which they believe lacks star power and overall entertainment value. The decision to delay the event is motivated by their desire to construct a more intriguing fight card. This is what Ariel Helwani said on his show:
I am being told via sources that the planned March 2nd UFC event in Saudi Arabia is being postponed and the target is June. The reason for the postponement is because they [the powers in Saudi Arabia] want a more entertaining card.
Ariel Helwani via The MMA Hour
As of today, the UFC’s initial March 2 card for Saudi Arabia had matchups like Mohammad Mokaev vs. Alex Perez in flyweight, Eryk Anders vs. Jamie Pickett in middleweight, and Joel Alvarez vs. Ludovit Klein in lightweight, among others. While these bouts provided enticing potential, the lack of prominent players appeared to fall short of the Saudi organizers’ aspirations.
The disappointment is evident, particularly given the hype surrounding UFC events in the Middle East. Fans had anticipated the participation of well-known fighters such as Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev. Their absence from the present roster may have contributed to the Saudi officials’ unhappiness.
MMA fans react to the postponement of the Saudi Arabia card slated for March 2nd
The recent announcement that the UFC’s March 2 event in Saudi Arabia would be postponed owing to discontent with Saudi organizers has many fans disappointed. The much-anticipated bout card is now hanging in the balance, provoking a slew of reactions from the enthusiastic MMA community.
The revelation led to a wave of reactions and speculations regarding the fate of the March 2 card. Some fight fans blamed Dana White and the UFC for assembling such an underperforming card in arguably the wealthiest region.
Others mocked the Saudi Arabia officials for nitpicking and undervaluing the card. Some believed that the lack of star power was the major contributor to the postponement. Here are some of the reactions from fight fans:
The MMA community is anxiously awaiting additional information on this incident. The collective desire is for a renewed fight card that not only matches but exceeds, the expectations of Saudi Arabian and international fans.
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Ajinkya Aswale
(1115 Articles Published)