Let's Book UFC Fight Night: Saudi Arabia, March 2024

[Siver!]

The UFC announced that they would head to Saudi Arabia for the first time in the promotions’ history. The WWE already has a lucrative deal with Saudi Arabia where they visit twice a year. This is a Fight Night card, but I can’t imagine it’s going to be your average Fight Night, so caveat: we’re booking this like it’s somewhere between a PPV and a Fight Night, leaning more towards PPV standard.
Sound right?

MAIN CARD:

Middleweight Championship Fight: Sean Strickland © vs Khamzat Chimaev

Sean Strickland isn’t the biggest name in terms of UFC Champions, so having his first title defence on a major international Fight Night card is a possibility. Assuming some of the booking criteria is similar to the Abu Dhabi shows, Strickland vs Khamzat ticks a ton of boxes.

Lightweight Fight: Rafael Fiziev vs Dan Hooker

Fiziev is on a two-fight losing streak, but he and Hooker are Fight Night main event worthy and certainly co-main worthy on a pretty significant card. Dan Hooker is the man in form with back-to-back wins, but this is a step back up the rankings – which is something he’s struggled with historically. Should be a banger.

Light Heavyweight Fight: Magomed Ankalaev vs Johnny Walker II

Easy fight to rebook and settle the score. Ankalaev isn’t super active, so I dunno, maybe sitting out for 5 months is a real possibility…

Welterweight Fight: Shara Magomedov vs Michel Pereira

What a damn fight this would be. I don’t think the UFC will risk Sharaputdin in a fight sooner than this, as he’s got a few things to work on before he’s legitimate rankings calibre, but a 5 month turnaround before facing someone as exciting and explosive as Michel? Seems right to me.

Flyweight Fight: Mohammad Mokaev vs Alex Perez

All eyes on Mokaev to see if he can keep climbing the ladder. He’s been flawless in terms of results, but not quite perfect in terms of performances. Not to worry, though, dude finishes fights in R3 if necessary. He’s an impressive young kid, but Alex Perez is a new level entirely.

PRELIMS:

Welterweight Fight: Song Kenan vs Carlston Harris
Lightweight Fight: Fares Ziam vs Guram Kutateladze
Bantamweight Fight: Farid Basharat vs Christian Rodriguez
Flyweight Fight: Azat Maksum vs Jake Hadley
Light Heavyweight Fight: Bogdan Guskov vs Anton Turkalj

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How would you rate a card like that for the UFC's debut in Saudi Arabia?

 

[octagonation]

Great card but not sure they will be rewarded the Strickland - Chimaev fight that is a massive fight. Perhaps during summer they will have Chimaev vs DDP but if Strickland - Chimaev lands on the Saudi Card it would financially be great for both Strickland and Chimaev and set them for life they will be biggest winners they will get paid both 8 figures for that bout

 

[mryonson]

A+ booking, realistic and phenomenal on paper. I love that card, only issue would be Fiziev being ready.

 

[Cheatr Pan]

This is a significantly better card than most of today's PPVs

Isn't Fiziev out till '25?

 

[JudoThrowFiasco]

Lol strickland in Saudi Arabia. That's a liability

 

[Joshuaace]

Make Walker go back for the rematch? Sounds fair.

 

[Siver!]

This is a significantly better card than most of today's PPVs

Isn't Fiziev out till '25?

I think they were talking mid 2024, but it could be a bit later than that, ACL's are serious injuries - that would could easily require a re-jig, March could be too soon.

 

[Joinho10]

Nice card. I would add Umar too he said he would be ready to fight by February so I imagine he would want to get on this card.

 

[Bushwhacker B]

Welterweight Fight: Shara Magomedov vs Michel Pereira

That would be a legitimate murder

 

[Siver!]

Nice card. I would add Umar too he said he would be ready to fight by February so I imagine he would want to get on this card.

Umar and Said (I know they're not related) could easily get on this card, particularly if Fiziev is out.

Umar would actually make a pretty sensible co-main, as it would elevate him appropriately. Umar vs Cruz would be a huge co-main, with Umar likely to go in there and take Cruz' ranking.

Said vs Gutierrez is the storyline fight after Said lost to Jonathan Martinez.

That would be a very solid rejig that would probably improve the card overall!

 

[Siver!]

Welterweight Fight: Shara Magomedov vs Michel Pereira

That would be a legitimate murder

Which way?

 

[mjfan23]

Saudia designed and paid for card:
Brock lesnar Vs jon jones
Conor Vs Jake Paul
ronaldo vs Messi

U Fight Cheap card in Saudia:
Vettori vs Roman
Wmma

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

If it has Strickland vs khamzat it will be PPV. They've already had khamzat headlining PPV without any stakes the whole point of him skipping over real contenders is his big PPV drawing power.

 

[Siver!]

If it has Strickland vs khamzat it will be PPV. They've already had khamzat headlining PPV without any stakes the whole point of him skipping over real contenders is his big PPV drawing power.

Khamzat hasn't headlined a PPV?

He hasn't headlined any card, hence no 5 round fight.

 

[Neck&Neck]

Spoiler

 

[VenomCarnage]

This kind of feels like an exercise in futility.

We are pretending that a Saudi card is somehow going to generate ‘new’ possibilities? It’s essentially going to be a carbon copy of the Abu Dhabi approach.

A lot of people from the East. Let’s just say that.

 

[Mmmmmmma1234]

Khamzat hasn't headlined a PPV?

He hasn't headlined any card, hence no 5 round fight.

UFC 279 Khamzat vs Daiz isn't booking him to headline a PPV?

 

[glenn777]

March for Ank / Walker? Fuck that put them on the China card later this year

 

[Domitian]

If it has Strickland vs khamzat it will be PPV. They've already had khamzat headlining PPV without any stakes the whole point of him skipping over real contenders is his big PPV drawing power.

It's a weird situation with Khamzat having Visa issues. UFC doesn't really put on PPV's outside Western countries except in Abu Dhabi. On one hand they want him to be more active but on the other want to rake in the PPV dollars.

Anyways March sounds like a good time to have the vacant HW title on the line. Saudi Arabia would work.

 

[LindyBrah]

Alex Perez never shows up anymore, so you’ll have to grab someone else from the top 10. Mattheus Nicolau would be great as he has a 4-1 record all against top 10 competition.