A TKO town hall was held Wednesday via Zoom, according to PWInsider.
Each department, including WWE, UFC, Zuffa Boxing, and On Location, gave a quick recap of what was going on. TKO President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro noted the company’s upcoming events in the Middle East. According to PWInsider, Shapiro “emphatically stated” that everyone’s safety was “paramount.”
The meeting was held before it was announced that Crown Jewel would not be held at Riyadh Season Stadium. The Nov. 7 event reportedly will still be held in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.
WWE President Nick Khan also spoke, talking about WWE’s upcoming stars.
In an April TKO town hall before Night of Champions, which was also in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Khan said that they would be “only going if it’s safe or if we’re allowed there.” He had also noted that he and Paul Levesque would attend. It is not clear if they would again make the trip for Crown Jewel.
The Iran-backed Houthis have attacked civilian spaces over the past month, including King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. The U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia issued a security advisory on Oct. 25, warning Americans to exercise “extreme caution” when using any airports in the country.
The Canelo Alvarez vs. Mbilli card is still expected to take place in Saudi Arabia on Oct. 31, a week before Crown Jewel. Power Slap is not part of TKO, but is co-founded by Dana White, has an event in Saudi Arabia on Nov. 6, and, according to Ariel Helwani, staff will travel to Bahrain and drive over five hours to Saudi Arabia.
There has been no word on WWE’s travel plans, but there is reportedly a backup location set if travel to Saudi Arabia is off the table.
