Supervisor Elham AbolFateh
Editor in Chief Mohamed Wadie

Inside Look into UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi


Sun 05 Jul 2020 | 07:40 PM
shawar ibrahim

Due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic a few months ago, UFC Fight Island was just an idea. But thanks to Dana White and his team's visions, it is now a reality. This facility is located on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi.

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Unlike domestic events, Fight Island has a different set of regulations. Before arriving at the venue, visitors have to pass a pre-flight COVID-19 test. Upon arrival, they will undergo three more tests throughout the week, and a final check before leaving.

According to John Morgan, strict COVID-19 protocols are being followed at the hotel. All journalists and fighters have been instructed to quarantine themselves for 48 hours upon arrival.

“Staff members were swarming outside, and each of them was covered head-to-toe in PPE, including masks and face shields. It looked like some kind of bizarre crime scene investigation or nuclear fallout reaction rather than just a big collection of bellmen and desk attendants,” John Morgan wrote.

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Originally, UFC 251 was supposed to feature three title fights: Kamaru Usman vs Gilbert Burns, Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway, and Petr Yan vs Jose Aldo. However, Burns was pulled from the card after he tested positive for COVID-19. The latest reports suggest that Jorge Masvidal could be a potential replacement.