TKO Accused Of 'So Gross' Level Of Greed By Their Own Employees Over Holding Events In Saudi Arabia Amid Missile Attacks

TKO Group Holdings - the parent company of WWE and UFC - have been accused of a "so gross" level of greed by their own employees due to the company continuing to hold events in Saudi Arabia despite the country being regularly targeted by missile attacks from the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen.

Uncrowned has reported that many people employed by TKO are increasingly frustrated by the organisation pressing ahead with holding events in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, which included WWE Crown Jewel on November 7, and an upcoming UFC Fight Night on December 5.

An anonymous employee within TKO told Uncrowned: "Why are you still even having these shows at this point? I think the answer is, if they chose not to do the show, they would lose out on millions and millions of dollars. If we don't do the shows in Saudi Arabia or [United Arab Emirates] or Doha or wherever we are going, then our fourth-quarter earnings will be off and our shareholders aren't going to get their money. So it's all about greed. They don't care about anybody's well-being. The level of greed with this company is so gross."

Another TKO employee, meanwhile, accused the company of not caring about their workers, adding: "They don't f***ing care about you one bit. People are just getting tired of the way they're getting treated. They get treated like s*** and everybody's tired of it. The lack of communication, the greed, the lack of appreciation, people are just sick of it."

WWE Crown Jewel being held in Riyadh was in spite of a United States Department of State advisory for US citizens to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia, with another TKO employee noting they were of the impression that TKO events in the region should have been postponed due to the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.

"All [TKO executives] talk about is if the State Department says it is OK to fly there. The rest of us are like, 'If the State Department has to think about it at all, let's just postpone.' That's what all the other sports are doing. Why can't TKO?" the employee stated.

Uncertainty around Crown Jewel had swirled for weeks ahead of the show after the Houthis ramped up their missile attacks against Saudi Arabia, which have been an almost daily occurrence since early October. This included airstrikes against Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport.

There was opposition to travelling to Saudi Arabia from WWE talents and staff, with reports noting that Gunther vs. Finn Balor did not take place at Crown Jewel after Gunther decided against going to KSA. The company also utilised a smaller-than-usual production crew in Saudi Arabia, with some employees reportedly turning down $3,000 in hazard pay, and the show was primarily produced from WWE HQ in Stamford, Connecticut, on a 10-minute delay, which included commentary for the event being recorded from the United States.

Further missile attacks from the Houthis took place on November 8, one day after Crown Jewel, but the WWE roster was "long gone" by the time those airstrikes happened, having flown from Riyadh to Bahrain prior to flying back to the United States following the event.

TKO CEO Ari Emanuel noted ahead of Crown Jewel that the company was monitoring the situation in the Middle East on a daily basis, while TKO President Mark Shapiro stated at a WWE town hall meeting just days before the pay-per-view that the company would not hesitate to cancel Crown Jewel if there was a further escalation of conflict in the region.

Former and current TKO employees, however, described a company culture focused on maximising short-term profits with little regard for those working for the organisation.

"We've come to the realisation, this is what it is. We're going to either have to accept it or leave, because nothing's going to change at this point. But it's time to get called out. People think it's fine and you get taken care of. People realise the fighters get paid s***. I mean, that's obvious. You guys have covered that aspect of it. People know, and the fighters are starting to speak up for themselves, but it doesn't stop with them. That's the message I want to get across. Everyone across the whole company gets treated like s***, whether you're a fighter or a camera guy," another TKO employee stated.

TKO became the parent company of WWE following the completion of the WWE-UFC merger in September of 2023, a merger that resulted in a $147.5 million settlement with WWE shareholders earlier this year over a lawsuit which accused Vince McMahon of preselecting Endeavor due to Ari Emanuel assuring McMahon's WWE future following the sexual misconduct and hush money scandal that resulted in McMahon's brief retirement in 2022.

WWE fans have keenly felt TKO's push towards maximising profits, with WWE ticket prices doubling in the first couple of years after the merger. The number of adverts and sponsorship tie-ins during WWE events has also dramatically increased under TKO.

Following WWE Crown Jewel, TKO's share price has risen by 8 per cent to just under $200 per share.