Critics Excoriate Tucker Carlson as He Attends UFC Fight During Saudi-Funded Jaunt Through Riyadh

Tucker Carlson made a surprise appearance at a UFC Fight Night in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on Saturday, where he flew this week to speak at a real estate conference at the invitation of the Saudi government.

Israel Adesanya and Nassourdine Imavov squared off at the fight in Riyadh’s ANB Arena, where ESPN cameras captured Carlson ringside. The footage indicated that his absent seatmate was named “Ronaldo” — an apparent reference to former Manchester United soccer player Cristiano Ronaldo, who now plays for the Saudi league Al-Nassr and was also at the event. Despite Ronaldo’s absenteeism, Carlson managed to photo-bomb him moments later.

Carlson spoke several days earlier at the Real Estate Future Forum, a government-funded event at which he was billed as a “global media influencer” who would “explore the influential role of media in shaping public perception and driving trends” in real estate.  He was listed alongside foreign luminaries including former President Bill Clinton and British broadcaster Piers Morgan, both of whom also spoke to attendees.

However, Carlson drew the most criticism from conservatives in the United States, who questioned his motives for accepting an invitation from the Saudi regime. “The Dossier” publisher Jordan Schachtel was one of the first to weigh in, responding to a comment Carlson made that referenced Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis as a “puppet” of the “biggest donors.”

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“Tucker made these comments while he was at a conference in Saudi Arabia, where he was paid a large sum to sing the praises of the government,” Schachtel wrote on X. “He went on stage for 30 mins and, in exchange for the big check, cut a promo for the country. Puppet?”

Other commenters struck a similar chord.