RIYADH: Riyadh Season has signed a strategic agreement to extend a partnership with the UFC, Saudi Arabia’s entertainment authority chief announced on Tuesday.

The agreement ensures another UFC event in the Kingdom during the 2024-2025 Riyadh Season.

Riyadh will also host, for the first time, the Power Slap event, the world’s top slap fighting competition.

It was also announced that Riyadh Season will be a sponsor for UFC 306 on Sept. 14, 2024, to be held in Las Vegas.

“This agreement is a continuation of Riyadh Season’s aims to host and partner with prominent and international events of mass interest,” said Turki Alalshikh. “UFC is the most prominent Mixed Martial Arts organization in the world and their platform of global fans is unrivalled.”

Kingdom Arena in Riyadh will host the first Saudi UFC event on June 22 as middleweight contenders Robert Whittaker and Khamzat Chimaev battle in a highly anticipated matchup.

Riyadh Season will host the heavyweight boxing clash between Tyson Fury and Oleksandr Usyk on May 18. Fury withdrew from the bout that was scheduled for February due to a cut during sparring. But the showdown is back on and has the boxing world enthralled.

Riyadh Season is an annual festival held in the Saudi capital, during the cooler months of the year, bringing together globally enticing entertainment, cultural and sporting events.