On Saturday night, the UFC will return to Abu Dhabi for the third time in the promotion’s history with a Pay-Per-View event headlined by a lightweight title fight between champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and Dustin Poirier. The event will take place in a bespoke 15,000 seat arena on Yas Island as part of a five-year deal with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism.
The longterm deal with the Abu Dhabi government, which guarantees a constant stream of title fights in the Emirati capital until 2024, is the result of the emirate’s Advantage Abu Dhabi program, which is designed to help organizers arrange festivals and shows in the region and enhance economic opportunities for the emirate.