Second UFC Fight Island Event Announced in Abu Dhabi

UFC president Dana White revealed there will be a second UFC Fight Island event held in Abu Dhabi later this year.

The  event will again see the UAE's Yas Island closed off and turned into a ‘biosphere’ for the event and its fighters. The island’s hotels will be closed to the general public but will still benefit from the sportsmen and women, and organizers staying in the rooms.

The second sporting spectacle will comprise five events, including UFC 253 and 254 and three-fight nights. First, UFC 253 will see Israel Adesanya defend his middleweight title against Paolo Costa, both of the fighters are undefeated in MMA. Three fights nights will also be held featuring fight including Holly Holm versus Irene Aldana and Brian Ortega versus Chan Sung Jung.

UFC 254 will see Khabib Nurmagomedov return to the sport in Abu Dhabi, a year on from defeating Dustin Poirier in Abu Dhabi, to unify the lightweight championship against Justin Gaethje.

The first UFC Fight Island took place throughout July and with everyone staying in the area’s hotels, occupancy rates in the emirate inched up three percent that month. According to DCT - Abu Dhabi executive director H.E. Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, more than 2,500 people ended up filling the Island’s hotels in July during what is typically a slow month.