WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative Paul ‘Triple H’ Levesque (center) poses with Nasser Alruwayeh (left) and Shadia Bseiso during a press conference in Abu Dhabi on Friday. — (Photo courtesy of Triple H’s Twitter account)

Kuwaiti athlete Nasser Alruwayeh became the first competitor from the Gulf country to sign a contract with WWE, which was officially announced this past Friday during a live event in Abu Dhabi.

Alruwayeh signed his contract, which qualifies him to train at the WWE Performance Center in Orlando, Florida to become a professional wrestler, during a press conference with WWE Executive Vice President of Talent, Live Events and Creative Paul 'Triple H' Levesque held as part of WWE's live tour in the UAE capital. He was joined in the same press conference with Shadia Bseiso, who was announced in October as the first female athlete from the Middle East to earn a WWE contract.

Levesque was first to make the announcement on his Twitter account on Friday, posting a picture showing himself, Alruwayeh and Bseiso with a caption reading "Another historic moment here in #WWEAbuDhabi as we welcome Shadia Bseiso, the first woman from the Middle East and Nasser Alruwayeh the first Kuwaiti signee, to WWE."

"It is an honor to sign with WWE and represent the Middle East," Alruwayeh said in a statement. "I look forward to competing with world-class athletes as I begin my journey in becoming a WWE Superstar."

"Signing Nasser is another example of WWE's ongoing commitment to building a talent roster that mirrors the diversity of our fan base," said Levesque. "We are confident that Nasser will inspire future WWE Superstars from the Middle East as we continue to recruit the most talented athletes and entertainers from around the world."

Alruwayeh has already established himself as an accomplished CrossFit athlete in Kuwait, gaining reputation as one of the most skilled competitors in the field on the local and regional levels. He - along with Bseiso - participated in a tryout the WWE held earlier this year in Dubai to select potential athletes from the Middle East and India to join the major worldwide entertainment company.

WWE Superstars performed in a live event in Abu Dhabi this past weekend before they headed to Delhi, India in their ongoing international tour. WWE has held several 'house shows' in the Middle East in recent years, capitalizing on its growing popularity in the region, including stops in Dubai, Qatar, and most recently in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. The last time WWE has held a live event in Kuwait was in 1997, which was its second in the country after a very successful event held a year before.

By Ahmad Jabr