Two Saudi wrestlers were selected to train with pros at the World Wrestling Entertainment's (WWE) Performance Center in Orlando, U.S.
Last April, Faisal Kurdi and Hussain Aldagal were tapped by the entertainment brand after taking part in the first-ever tryout session to have been held in Saudi Arabia. They were amongst eight participants, rounded down from 30, to continue their training with WWE.
At the time, the wrestling company's first Saudi signee and wrestling star Mansoor Al-Shehail also attended the session.
As for the new selections, Kurdi and Aldagal come from quite different backgrounds.
The former has long been part of the region's professional wrestling scene, Harper's Bazaar Arabia reported. He has won several championships in the Middle East. His experience includes "amateur grappling, Muay Thai boxing and mixed martial arts."
Aldagal, who's a civil engineer, also has a significant background in volleyball and bodybuilding.
In 2018, Saudi Arabia signed a historic deal with WWE
The kingdom's sports authority signed a 10-year deal with the entertainment brand, granting Saudis the opportunity to watch matches live in the kingdom. The agreement also gave the country the opportunity to welcome some of the world's most popular wrestlers and host several events including the Royal Rumble, Tag Team, and Raw Title.
The deal came as part of the sports authority's efforts to boost sporting initiatives.
Not the first regional talent to be tapped by the wrestling brand
In 2017, WWE officially announced it had signed its first ever talent from the Arab World, Jordanian wrestler and jiu-jitsu fighter Shadia Bseiso.
The announcement came a few months after Bseiso attended a WWE invitation-only talent tryouts which were held in Dubai. At the time of her signing, Bseiso expressed how thrilled she was to have been selected.
"It is an honour to be the first-ever woman from the Middle East to sign with WWE," she said.
"Working with WWE is an incredible opportunity. I have visited the Performance Center and attended the Mae Young Classic. I have personally witnessed the power of WWE and the passion of WWE fans. I look forward to starting on my path to becoming a WWE Superstar," she added.