Wrestling history as Jeddah gets ready for royal rumble

World Wrestling Entertainment stars, from left, Finn Balor, Seth Rollins, Titus O’Neil and Roman Reigns. (AN photo by Huda Bashatah)
Updated 28 April 2018
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Wrestling history as Jeddah gets ready for royal rumble

  • Sell-out crowd will witness history in Jeddah as WWE's biggest stars come to town
  • Roman Reigns said that his previous Wrestlemania bout with Brock Lesnar “took every ounce of effort he had in the ring.” 

 JEDDAH: A sell-out crowd will witness history when the Saudi General Sports Authority and World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) stage the Greatest Royal Rumble Special at the King Abdullah Sports City Stadium in Jeddah. 

WWE stars are as excited as fans about the event on Friday, a first for the Kingdom. American wrestler Seth Rollins, the WWE intercontinental champion, told Arab News on Thursday that the Royal Rumble would be his first title defense. 

“You have three top-tier competitors aside from myself — the Miz, Samoa Joe and Finn Balor. Any one of them would make a great intercontinental champion, so I have to step up my game,” Rollins said.

Roman Reigns, a former American football player, said that his previous Wrestlemania bout with Brock Lesnar “took every ounce of effort he had in the ring.” 

Universal champion

Discussing his scheduled rematch with the universal champion, he said: “At the end of the day I fell short. This is a good example that at any time you have to be ready to pick yourself up.” 

Finn Balor said that wrestling contests brought out his alter ego. 

“When I am Finn Balor, I am relaxed and very chill, but when I enter the ring as the demon, I find the darker side to my personality.” 

The Greatest Royal Rumble will stream live on WWE Network and be available on pay-per-view outside the Middle East. 

The event will be broadcast live in the Middle East on MBC Action, KSA Sports 1, Abu Dhabi Sports 1 and Abu Dhabi Sports 6, as well as stream live on Dawri Plus. 

The Friday card includes the first 50-man Greatest Royal Rumble match.


Georges Chakra presents new couture collection in Paris

Updated 28 January 2026
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Georges Chakra presents new couture collection in Paris

  • Chakra introduces ‘new Parisienne attitude’
  • Top Arab designers also have shows in city

DUBAI: Lebanese designer Georges Chakra has presented his Spring/Summer 2026 couture collection at Paris Haute Couture Week, offering a contemporary interpretation of the house’s established design codes through refined silhouettes and detailed craftsmanship.

Drawing on the heritage of the maison, the collection revisited classic elements of elegance while introducing what the designer described in an Instagram post as a “new Parisienne attitude.”

Soft pastels, ivory and metallic tones defined the palette, moving between pale blue, blush, lavender and gold across the runway.

The show featured a range of sculpted looks, with structured bodices balanced by feathered appliques, floral embroidery and layers of sheer tulle.

Strapless gowns with petal-like embellishments appeared alongside column dresses finished with subtle shimmer, while ruffled sleeves, organza capes and sheer overlays created volume and movement.

White gowns formed a central part of the collection, ranging from minimal silhouettes with clean lines to more elaborate designs incorporating veils, hats and lattice-style embroidery.

Soft pastels, ivory and metallic tones defined the palette. (Getty Images)

Sequins, hand-applied florals and intricate beading appeared throughout the collection. The show concluded with a bridal look featuring sheer embroidery and floral detailing.

After beginning his career in Beirut, where he initially worked at his home studio following his graduation from an institution in Canada, Chakra founded his fashion house in 1985.

He later expanded his atelier to Paris, debuting on the Haute Couture Week calendar in 2002, and has since built an international reputation for couture and eveningwear, dressing a wide range of regional and global figures for major red-carpet appearances.

His designs have been worn by celebrities including Nicki Minaj, Rihanna, Beyonce, Cara Delevingne, Tyra Banks, Jennifer Lopez, Helen Mirren, Molly Sims and Andra Day.

Chakra was among several Arab designers featured during Paris Haute Couture Week this season.

Georges Hobeika and Tony Ward had already presented their Spring/Summer 2026 couture collections earlier in the week, while Elie Saab, Zuhair Murad, Ashi Studio and Rami Al-Ali are scheduled to show later on the official calendar.