UFC Abu Dhabi will once again transpire at Etihad Arena with a pair of mapped-out cards slated for later on in 2024.
August 3rd on Yas Island has been formally announced as the time and place of an Ultimate Fighting Championship event. No fights have been announced for this card as of yet.
It will be a televised card and is the first event of that kind in the area since the pandemic days when there were eight TV broadcasted events. This ranged from June 2020 until January 2021.
Speaking to ufc.com about this UAE event announcement, UFC CEO Dana White said,
“Abu Dhabi is one of the most incredible cities in the world. I love everything about Abu Dhabi, and I’m excited to bring another kick-ass event there Abu Dhabi is an amazing destination, especially if you are a fight fan. I tell everyone to fly in early, check out the amazing food and experiences Abu Dhabi has to offer, and then end the trip with incredible fights.”
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UFC Abu Dhabi
Also speaking to ufc.com, the Director General for Tourism at DCT Abu Dhabi, H.E. Saleh Al Geziry stated,
“We’re excited to bring UFC Fight Night to Abu Dhabi, showcasing the world’s best fighters to fans across the Middle East. Hosting yet another UFC event in less than a year adds to Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for sporting events and attracts MMA fans from around the world to the emirate. Our partnership with UFC adds to our proven track record of hosting major global sports competitions and events and solidifies Abu Dhabi as a world capital for combat sport.”
The most recent instance of the UFC hosting an event in the region was last October. This was headlined by lightweight champion Islam Makhachev defending his belt against then-UFC featherweight titleholder Alexander Volkanovski. Their UFC 294 main event bout was a rematch. Their first fight saw Makhachev win on points at UFC 284. Makhachev went 2-0 over Volkanovski and won far more emphatically. In their sophomore bout, Islam Makhachev secured a first-round finish by way of a head kick with follow up ground and pound shots thereafter.
Another late in the calendar year Etihad Arena moment saw Makhachev cement himself as champion. This fight took place in October 2022. The Dagestan native finished Charles Oliveira in the second round by way of an arm triangle choke. At that moment, he finished the UFC’s leader in submission finishes and Makhachev has been on a roll ever since.
@hosheh_fight_network on Instagram, in the post linked above, mentioned there was also a numbered event that the company has targeted for November. This makes sense historically as UFC has made it a bit of a customary thing now to hold a stacked Q4 pay-per-view event in the United Arab Emirates.
