UFC in Abu Dhabi: from UFC 112 and Fight Island to UFC 333
UFC 333 is the promotion's 24th UAE event. Here is how Abu Dhabi became one of its most regular stops.
UFC 333 on Saturday 24 October will be the promotion's 24th event in the UAE, according to Khaleej Times. The story began in April 2010 with UFC 112, the first UFC show in the Middle East, held at an outdoor 12,000-seat arena at Ferrari World on Yas Island.
That first night had two title fights. Frankie Edgar took BJ Penn's lightweight title on points, and Anderson Silva beat Demian Maia by decision in a main event that drew boos and that Dana White later called "a disgrace", The National recalled. The UFC returned in 2014 and again in September 2019 for UFC 242, when Khabib Nurmagomedov defended his lightweight title against Dustin Poirier.
In 2020 Abu Dhabi became "Fight Island". With travel restricted during the pandemic, the UFC built a safety zone on Yas Island with an arena, hotel and training areas, and held four events there in July and five more in September and October. UFC 251 in July had three title fights, including Petr Yan's fifth-round stoppage of Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight belt. At UFC 254 that October, Nurmagomedov submitted Justin Gaethje and retired at 29-0.
Etihad Arena took over from January 2021, when Poirier knocked out Conor McGregor at UFC 257. In October 2023 the Department of Culture and Tourism Abu Dhabi extended its UFC partnership to 2028, with a title fight at each annual Abu Dhabi event. Since then the arena has hosted UFC 294, UFC 308 and UFC 321, and the UFC now visits twice a year.
Some of the UFC 333 names have history here too. Yan won his first title on Fight Island, Alexander Volkanovski beat Max Holloway at UFC 251, and the most recent visit, in July 2026, was the 23rd.
UFC 333: Volkanovski vs EvloevSat 24 Oct · Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi See ticketsSource: The National, UFC.com, The Globe and Mail, Abu Dhabi Media Office, Cageside Press, CBS Sports: UFC 251, Khaleej Times
