THE OCTAGON RETURNS TO ABU DHABI FOR UFC 242
The UFC has formally declared its return to Abu Dhabi, the capital of United Arab Emirates, on September 7. The statement stated that the UFC will hold lots of occasions in Abu Dhabi over the next five years as it arrived into a“revolutionary new partnership“ with the town’s Department of Culture and Tourism. You can read more about the deal of the UFC here.
UFC 242 will be the first time the Octagon has landed in Abu Dhabi because UFC Fight Night 39 back in April 2014, when Roy Nelson pumped out Antonio Rodrigo Nogueira at the primary event. UFC 242 will be the second time the advertising has held a pay-per-view event in Abu Dhabi following UFC 112 back in April 201, the nighttime Frankie Edgar took the UFC lightweight title from BJ Penn..
The UFC has not formally announced any bouts for UFC 242, but rumors continue to swirl to a big title fight headlining the card. Rumors out there stage to UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov attempting to unify his name with interim UFC lightweight winner Dustin Poirier. That battle produces a lot of sense considering Nurmagomedov’s Muslim heritage, and the timeframe is ideal because of the champ taking the summer off for Ramadan.
The UFC returning to Abu Dhabi is clearly a fantastic thing for the advertising as this five-year deal will undoubtedly bring a great deal of additional cash to the UFC’s coffers. It remains to be seen if the fighters are going to find any share of that, but the simple fact the UFC continues to hold events around the planet is a fantastic thing as it will give local fighters in the Middle East presumably the opportunity to sign up with the UFC and struggle within the Octagon. We do not have any rumors of who will be fighting about the card, but you can bet that boxers using a Middle Eastern or Muslim background is going to be booked for this occasion.
In addition to the statement of UFC 242 at Abu Dhabi, there are rumors out there that the UFC will visit Australia in October for the middleweight title unification bout between champion Robert Whittaker and interim champ Israel Adesanya. It appeared like originally the plan was for those two to fight in September, but the timing has made it that fight is most likely going to occur in October. That is also a good thing for Jack Hermansson, that has been asking to headline the UFC’s return to Copenhagen, also in October, as the timeline of that would give him the best chance to resist the winner of the bout.
With UFC 242 being declared for September, we finally have confirmation there will be another pay-per-view in July following UFC 239, and yet another in August, as the UFC must compensate to the cancellation of UFC 233 back in January.
Remember to stay tuned to MMAOB for the latest news and updates for UFC Abu Dhabi and each of the promotion’s other occasions as new fights continue to be declared almost everyday in what is shaping up to be a rather active 2019.
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