UFC's 'Fight Island' really could be in Abu Dhabi

Confirmation on the location will follow next week…

We’d already heard reasonably well-founded rumours about Abu Dhabi being used as the location for some big upcoming UFC fights.

Dana White, UFC s fight master-in-chief, has also been quite vocal about his intentions to stage events on a ‘Fight Island’, as a theatrical solution for the social distancing requirements of the pandemic era.

Any attempt to tie those two streams of reality together before now, would have been pure conjecture.

The story, which echos with eerie similarity the plot of Bruce Lee’s Enter the Dragon, has been developing over the past few weeks, with both media and industry professionals speculating on several potential locations for the MMAtoll.

But the likelihood of Abu Dhabi being the host for ‘Fight Island’ was given a big boost over the weekend.

Following his victory over Evan Dunham in UFC 250 staged in Las Vegas on Saturday (Sunday morning UAE time), Brazilian fighter Herbert Burns let slip the following:

“I want to fight on Fight Island. I think we already know the location now, they already said it’s in Abu Dhabi. That is the plan.”

At the event, Dana White refused to confirm the location but did say that big news was coming soon

“I will announce next week and I will show you pictures and I will give you a lot more information.”

What’s On reached out to a representative for Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, who said that whilst there is currently no official confirmation, an announcement will follow shortly.

Who will feature on the card for inaugural Fight Island clash, wherever it may be?

The Justin Gaethje vs Khabib Nurmagomedov lightweight reunification bout is top of most fight fans wishlists but is unlikely to happen until later in the year.

More news on that important confirmation to follow soon.

Images: UFC Arabia/Getty