How a Saudi WWE fan became a top wrestler’s personal designer

1 / 4
Abdulmalik Ali Al-Muwizri with Chris Jericho. (Supplied)
2 / 4
21 year-old Abdulmalik Ali AlMuwizri, a fresh college graduate from Saudi Arabia’s Al-Kharj city. (Supplied)
3 / 4
In October of 2016, he designed a graphic for a rumored AJ Styles vs Shawn Michaels match. (Supplied)
4 / 4
A recent artwork AlMuwizri released for his followers. (Supplied)
Updated 10 June 2019
Follow

How a Saudi WWE fan became a top wrestler’s personal designer

  • 21-year-old Abdulmalik Ali Al-Muwizri started off designing posters for WWE matches
  • Recognition came when Chris Jericho shared one of Al-Muwizri’s fan-art posters on Instagram

JEDDAH: Sometimes all it takes to hit the big time is a chance. For 21-year-old Abdulmalik Ali Al-Muwizri, a college graduate from Al-Kharj, that chance came two years ago.

From writing fan reviews of wrestling shows, he has become the personal graphic designer to former World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) superstar Chris Jericho.

Al-Muwizri had been designing posters for WWE dream matches in 2017 when news leaked in May of a Japanese tour. Two of his favorite professional wrestlers, Jericho and Hideo Itami, were going to be there.




The fan poster he designed that got him noticed by Chris Jericho. (Supplied)

Despite knowing that neither star reposted fan art, Al-Muwizri decided to design a new poster. He uploaded it to the internet, and instantly received a lot of love from his followers. But a far bigger surprise awaited him on Instagram.

“I received a notification saying: ‘Chris Jericho has followed you,’ and I was like ‘come on, not another fake.’ The notification scared me because it had happened to me before — fake wrestler accounts following me,” Al-Muwizri told Arab News.

“So I checked if it was real or not, and it was in fact the real Chris Jericho. I was so excited, I was geeking out.”

Jericho, who is also into music, writing and acting, sent a direct message to Al-Muwizri via Instagram, saying he loved the poster but wanted it to be lightened up a little bit so that he could post it. “That was so incredibly thrilling, I can’t even put my feelings in words. I knew something special had just happened but I didn’t realize it fully at that time.”

The thrill remained palpable as Jericho requested announcement posters for his band FOZZY’s famous hit “Judas” as well as for his tours. He then asked Al-Muwizri to create an official Jericho vs Kenny Omega graphic. It was becoming clear that life would not be the same again.




Tour poster of Jericho's band Fozzy. (Supplied)

The next day, the announcement was made formally: Chris Jericho had a new personal graphic designer by the name of Abdulmalik Ali Al-Muwizri.

The young Saudi’s fascination with WWE began at the age of 14, when he developed a habit of posting online match reviews on a popular Saudi forum, “Eqla3.” Every review had to have fact-based takes on the pay-per-view (PPV) show and the wrestlers, with a well-designed image and a suitable background.

“I didn’t know anyone who would design for me, so I had to learn from scratch with the help of my brother. I learned the basics and have loved it since then,” Al-Muwizri told Arab News.

“A few years later people started to gravitate away from online forums and into social-media outlets like Twitter and Instagram, so I started my Instagram account called ‘wrestlingparty’. It was simply to post wrestling photos, clips and some of my opinions.

“When I ran out of new photos or clips to post, I began to post some of my old designs just as fillers and was pleasantly surprised to receive a lot of positive feedback. The more I posted my designs, the more positive feedback I got. That’s when I knew I needed to focus on this.”

It was not enough, though, to just simply design posters for match reviews. Al-Muwizri started designing graphics for rumored “dream matches” in the hope that they would go viral and get noticed. In October 2016, he designed one for a rumored AJ Styles vs Shawn Michaels match.

“As soon as I posted it, it got a massive response and went viral very quickly. It was easily the most amount of feedback I had received at the time. AJ Styles then reposted it on Twitter and it got about 10,000 retweets. Everyone in the wrestling world was talking about it.

“A few months later, AJ and Shawn Michaels talked about the graphic on the WWE Network show ‘Table for 3.’ They showed it too on the show. This was a big sign that anything is possible when you put in the work. So I kept slogging away.”

Al-Muwizri is fluent in the lexicon of WWE. He considers himself a major fan, having viewed every weekly PPV show since he was a kid. He was hooked on the sport from the get-go, he says, recalling the days when he watched the matches of the 1990s and early 2000s on his older brother’s VHS tapes.

One of Al-Muwizri’s proudest moments was when he signed a piece of artwork for the first ever women’s match in the Middle East, in Abu Dhabi in 2017.

“This is Hope” was about sending a powerful message to all young women in the region that anything is possible. Visiting Dubai for an interview, Al-Muwizri was stunned to see his artwork displayed prominently. 




A poster for the first ever female wrestling match held in Abu Dhabi. (Supplied)

“This is Hope” was about sending a powerful message to all young women in the region that anything is possible. Visiting Dubai for an interview, Al-Muwizri was stunned to see his artwork displayed prominently.

“I want to thank WWE for making that happen, and especially Adam Bigwood and Carlo Nohra. Without them, none of this would have happened and they deserve credit for it.”

As for Jericho, he may have appointed Al-Muwizri his personal graphic designer, but it was not until WWE came to Jeddah last year that the two finally got a chance to meet face to face.

“So you’re real then!” were the wrestler’s first words to his young counterpart, who added “I was so glad that I was able to thank him in person for everything he did and still does for me. He’s such an amazing guy.”

Al-Muwizri describes the opportunity to work with Jericho as “an absolute honor. He is not just one of the greatest wrestlers of all time, he is also humble and down to earth.

“I always get emotional talking about how Jericho gave me — a stranger on the internet — a chance that day when he followed me on Instagram. Just imagine if he had not happened to see the poster that day? Or what if he had decided not to repost it? It is crazy how things work.”


KSA showcases urban initiatives at Cairo forum 

Updated 9 sec ago
Follow

KSA showcases urban initiatives at Cairo forum 

  • The pavilion highlights Saudi Arabia’s initiatives in urban development and sustainable city planning

RIYADH: Egypt’s Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly and Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, head of the Kingdom’s delegation, visited Saudi Arabia’s pavilion at the 12th World Urban Forum in Cairo, which began on Monday and ends on Nov. 8.

The pavilion, organized by the Ministry of Municipalities and Housing, features spaces for meetings, workshops and dialogue sessions. It includes over 40 interactive activities and hosts 150 representatives from various Saudi entities. 

The pavilion highlights Saudi Arabia’s initiatives in urban development and sustainable city planning, showcasing innovative projects and successful experiences, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Tuesday. 

Egyptian Prime Minister Dr. Mostafa Madbouly and Prince Faisal bin Abdulaziz bin Ayyaf, head of the Saudi delegation, visited the Saudi pavilion at the 12th World Urban Forum in Cairo. (SPA)

It also showcases the Kingdom’s achievements under Vision 2030, including sustainable transport networks, infrastructure improvements, and enhanced municipal services in cities. 

On the sidelines of the forum, Prince Faisal met with several delegation heads to discuss enhancing cooperation and exchanging expertise. 

He discussed potential collaboration between Riyadh and Istanbul with Ekrem Imamoglu, the mayor of Istanbul, focusing on the exchange of skills.

He also met with Anar Guliyev, a member of the cabinet and chairman of the State Committee for Urban Planning and Architecture in Azerbaijan, to discuss cooperation.


Athar Festival begins in Riyadh

Updated 13 min 56 sec ago
Follow

Athar Festival begins in Riyadh

  • Almost 2,000 people registered for second edition, says organizer
  • Veteran Gulf publisher aims to gather region’s creative community

RIYADH: The second Athar Saudi Festival of Creativity kicked off on Tuesday with a full house in Crowne Plaza Riyadh RDC.

Hosted by UAE-based Motivate Media Group and communications consultancy TRACCS, the festival will feature 100 regional and international speakers and is expected to bring together almost 2,000 professionals and leaders from the creative marketing industry.

Ian Fairservice, managing partner and group editor-in-chief of Motivate Media Group, will chair the event, with Mohammed Al-Ayed, CEO of TRACCS, as vice chairman.

In an interview with Arab News, Fairservice said: “Athar has a role in bringing together the creative community, and the marketing community.

“The whole ethos of Athar is to create a community, albeit just for a couple of days, where everybody can come together and communicate and share ideas and develop new ones.”

He highlighted the increase of attendees this year, compared to last year’s event.

Ian Fairservice, managing partner of Motivate Media Group and chairman of Athar Festival, delivers a speech on the first day of the festival on Nov. 5, 2024 in Riyadh. (Loai Elkelawy)

“All of our numbers have pretty much doubled on last year. We have almost 2,000 attendees registered and, as you can see around us here, it’s absolutely buzzing. The main stage area is completely full. There are probably 100 people standing at the back watching our first keynote speaker today,” he said.

“In terms of other numbers, we have 400 entries for the awards for tomorrow night, of which there are 211 shortlisted.”

Fairservice’s knowledge of the region comes from living in Dubai for 47 years. He formed Motivate Media Group back in 1979 and launched one of the country’s first English-language magazines, “What’s On,” which had a primary readership of tourists and expatriates.

The inspiration behind it was simple — there was no media. It was, he recalls, an era “with no television, no radio, no newspapers, no magazines.”

Today, Motivate Media Group publishes numerous magazines such as “Emirates Woman,” “Gulf Business” and “Business Traveler Middle East.”

“We’ve grown the company organically and have gone into every different aspect of media across the board,” said Fairservice. “It’s been a privilege and a fantastic opportunity to have been able to do this from the ground floor.”

Athar Festival will continue on Wednesday with panel discussions, presentations and fireside chats focused on growing the creative landscape in Saudi Arabia, the Middle East and beyond, covering various sectors such as sports, entertainment, and tourism.

The event will conclude with the Athar Awards ceremony on the evening of Nov. 6.


KSrelief expands humanitarian aid to crisis zones

Updated 25 min 42 sec ago
Follow

KSrelief expands humanitarian aid to crisis zones

  • The 19th plane sent from Riyadh to Lebanon arrived at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Tuesday

RIYADH: Saudi aid agency KSrelief is intensifying efforts to deliver aid to Lebanon and recently supported those in need of medical assistance in Turkiye.

The 19th plane sent from Riyadh to Lebanon arrived at Beirut-Rafic Hariri International Airport on Tuesday, carrying food, shelter and medical supplies, the Saudi Press Agency reported.

The aid will be used to assist the growing number of people displaced by Israeli airstrikes. Countries such as the UAE, Turkiye, Iraq, Egypt, Jordan, Canada, Romania and France are also sending aid to Lebanon.

In Turkiye, KSrelief recently concluded a week-long voluntary medical program for specialized surgeries in Tarsus. A team of 32 volunteers performed 31 open-heart operations, five therapeutic catheterizations, and 18 diagnostic catheterizations.

The Saudi aid agency also completed a medical project in Reyhanli for victims of the earthquake in February last year. During this campaign, the medical team treated 537 patients in family medicine, 417 in dermatology, 380 in optometry, and 219 in endocrinology.

In February 2023, KSrelief launched a campaign through the Sahem platform to aid earthquake victims in Syria and Turkiye, raising more than SR524 million ($139.5 million) from more than 3.4 million donations.


Health campaign promotes quality care in Saudi Arabia

Updated 04 November 2024
Follow

Health campaign promotes quality care in Saudi Arabia

RIYADH: The Ministry of Health has launched a campaign to promote health by enhancing access to and the quality and efficiency of health services and raising awareness of health risks, the Saudi Press Agency reported Monday.

The campaign “A Vibrant, Healthy Nation” introduces a modern healthcare model, offering integrated, individual-centered services aligned with Vision 2030’s goal of fostering a healthy society.

The ministry is committed to “enhancing public health, improving quality of life, and raising the Kingdom’s global healthcare standing.”

The campaign highlights the health transformation initiative’s positive impacts and informs citizens about its main features, aiming to engage all segments of society, SPA reported.

It emphasizes a shift from treating illness to prevention, involving primary care doctors and early detection programs.


Saudi environment ministry launches program to develop green tech

Updated 04 November 2024
Follow

Saudi environment ministry launches program to develop green tech

  • Scheme seeks new ways to repurpose wastewater, looks at impact of microplastics

RIYADH: The Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture has opened applications for a new program to find ways to develop sustainable technologies in Saudi Arabia.

The Sustainable Innovation Fellowship Program aims to find ways to repurpose by-products from water treatment for the benefit of the environment; develop sustainable technologies for recycling membranes used in water treatment; and explore methods to reuse treated wastewater in desert and arid regions.

Supported by the Environment Fund and the Research, Development and Innovation Authority, the fellowship program will also assess the environmental impact of microplastics in water treatment plants, sewage, and wastewater.

In line with Saudi Vision 2030, the Ministry of Environment, Water and Agriculture is also introducing new e-services in accordance with international standards.