UFC President Dana White secured a private island to act as the UFC’s home base for now.
ESPN’s Brett Okamoto explained that the fighters will be flown to the island via private planes to compete and added that the “Private island idea is for international fighters, so not only the US-based athletes have a spot to fight.”
Okamoto also shared White’s first explanation: “Per Dana White, Fight Island will be operational by June. Octagon on the beach. Hotels for fighters to stay at while they are there. Once things go back to normal, Fight Island will likely get retired, but it’s a real piece of the promotion’s plans.”
Dana White was interviewed by UFC announcer Jon Anik on ESPN and he said that Fight Island will be used as a location for future events. White also added that “right now, we’re looking at June, having three or four fights there in a month.”
Appearing on ESPN’s First Take on June 9th, White announced that Fight Island will be on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi.
Yas Island occupies a total land area of 2,500 ha (25 km²). It is an enormous entertainment destination, only 30 minutes from the United Arab Emirates capital.
The home of the Yas Marina Circuit, a renowned Formula 1 race track that holds the annual Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix, Yas Island also has the popular W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island Hotel at the center of the island, surrounding the Formula 1 race track and hovering over land and water.
Yas island also has the Yas Marina, a popular destination for many of the world’s largest superyachts.
You can also find high-end restaurants and theme parks there, including Ferrari World Abu Dhabi, the first Ferrari-branded theme park in the world. Warner Bros. World Abu Dhabi and YasWaterworld are also part of the most visited destinations there.
The UFC Fight Island events will start with UFC 251 on July 11th and then they will have cards on July 15th, July 18th and July 25th.
