Tickets for Whittaker vs. Chimaev at UFC's First Event in Saudi Arabia Now on Sale

Tickets for Whittaker vs. Chimaev at UFC's First Event in Saudi Arabia Now on Sale
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Tickets for Whittaker vs. Chimaev at UFC's First Event in Saudi Arabia Now on Sale

Tickets for Whittaker vs. Chimaev at UFC's First Event in Saudi Arabia Now on Sale

The capital of Saudi Arabia, Riyadh, is set to host the first event for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world's premier mixed martial arts organization, on June 22. The main fight will be between Australian Robert Whittaker and Russian Khamzat Chimaev, SPA reported.
Tickets for the event are available to the public through the webook platform.
Former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker (26-7-0) is returning to the octagon to continue his winning streak in the highly anticipated matchup at the Kingdom Arena in Riyadh against Khamzat Chimaev. Whittaker, a professional mixed martial artist since 2009, has left a significant mark on the sport, becoming the UFC middleweight champion at UFC 213. He most recently defeated Brazil's Paulo Costa at UFC 298.
Chimaev (13-0-0) is looking to maintain his undefeated record and continue his rise in the middleweight rankings as a rising star. He has achieved six wins by knockout, five by submission, and eight wins in the first round.
As part of the UFC's inaugural event in the Kingdom, fans will witness an exhilarating showdown in the octagon as Russia's Sergei Pavlovich (18-2) faces compatriot Alexander Volkov (37-10) in a clash of heavyweight titans.



Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
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Paris 2024 Opening Ceremony: Saudi Team Highlights Cultural Heritage

Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)
Saudi athletes wave their country’s flag during the opening parade. (Saudi Olympic Committee)

Prince Abdulaziz bin Turki Al-Faisal, Chairman of the Saudi Olympic and Paralympic Committee, and his deputy, Prince Fahd bin Jalawi bin Abdulaziz, attended the opening ceremony of the 33rd Olympic Games in Paris.

Held outside the traditional stadiums for the first time in history, the ceremony featured a parade of the 206 participating countries on 100 boats traveling approximately 6 kilometers along the Seine River.

The Saudi show jumping team player, Ramzy Al-Duhami, and his colleague, the Saudi Taekwondo champion Dunya Aboutaleb, raised the Saudi flag at the opening of the world’s largest sporting event.

Al-Duhami expressed his pride in raising the Kingdom’s flag alongside his teammate, noting that it was a dream for any Saudi citizen. He wished success for the Saudi athletes in representing Saudi sports with distinction.

Aboutaleb, in turn, said he was honored to carry the Kingdom’s flag at the Olympic Games, stating: “I aspire to perform at a level that reflects the support and attention given to sports in the Kingdom.”

The Saudi athletes’ uniform was admired by the international media and the audience, who applauded the players the moment their boat appeared on the Seine River.

The designs for the opening ceremony were chosen through a national competition organized by the Saudi Arabian Olympic and Paralympic Committee, with the participation of designers from across the Kingdom.

Out of 128 competing designers, the chosen uniform by Saudi designer Alia Al-Salmi featured traditional men’s thobes and bishts and brightly patterned thobe al-nashal for women, symbolizing the athletes’ pride in their homeland and cultural roots.

Mashael Al-Ayed, 17, will be the first Saudi athlete to compete, taking to the pool for the 200 meters freestyle swimming event on July 28. Al-Ayed is the first female swimmer to represent Saudi Arabia at the Olympics.