It looks like Abu Dhabi Is truly emerging as the new home of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) with five events reportedly confirmed to be held in Yas Island.
Abu Dhabi a prominent host for UFC events
Thanks to a five-year contract between UFC and The Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, the mixed martial arts phenomenon agreed to bring title fights and events to the capital kicking off with the then highly-anticipated UFC 242, marking the return of Dagestani star Khabib Nurmagomedov after the controversial one-year ban in the aftermath of the UFC 229 fight, squaring off versus Dustin Poirier to defend his lightweight champion title.
Photograph credit: UFC
This year saw the debut of UFC Fight Island and UFC 251, with a custom-built octagon built venue on Yas Island adhering to social distancing guidelines to prevent the Coronavirus outbreak. Some of the biggest highlights included Kumaru Usman defeating Jorge Masvidal by unanimous decision to defend the welterweight belt, and Dubai resident Mounir Lazzez winning on debut after defeating Abdul Razak Alhassan (30-27, 30-27, 29-28), making him the first UAE martial artist to win a fight in the UFC.
What’s more, given the state of the Coronavirus pandemic, with the UAE recording more 75,098 cases and 66,943 recoveries in comparison to the US’ tally of 6.4 million cases and 3.4 million recoveries, the capital stands out as safe destination to host the high-octane event.
Photograph credit: UFC
Five more UFC title fights confirmed in Abu Dhabi this year
ESPN MMA claims sources have confirmed UFC is bringing five events to the capital, starting with UFC 253 on 26th September, followed by UFC 254 on 24th October and a sequel to the Fight Island. More updates await as the UFC is yet to make the news official.
Read: ABU DHABI SET TO HOST UFC FIGHT ISLAND THIS JULY
Read: ABU DHABI GRAND PRIX SCHEDULED FOR 11TH-13TH DECEMBER THIS YEAR
(Featured photograph credit: UFC)
