Fight card for UFC 242 in Abu Dhabi still to be finalised, DCT Abu Dhabi says

Department of Culture and Tourism plans 'festival' for the MMA promotion's return to the capital after five years, but coy over whether Khabib Nurmagomedov will headline

Khabib Nurmagomedov, right, has not fought since beating Conor McGregor in their UFC match in October 2018. Reuters

The fight card for UFC 242, to take place in Abu Dhabi in September, will be announced within the next two months, organisers have confirmed.

The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) announced on Monday that they had signed a five-year partnership with the world's lead mixed martial arts promotion company. The agreement guarantees championship fights will take place in the capital, which has twice previously hosted the UFC, in 2010 and 2014.

A lightweight title unification bout between Russian star Khabib Nurmagomedov and American Dustin Poirier has been mooted, however organisers told The National that details regarding the fight card have still to be completed.

“I heard a lot of rumours, but nothing is confirmed yet,” said Ali Al Shaiba, acting executive director of marketing & communication at DCT Abu Dhabi. “We are still waiting to finalise this. I can assure you before July you will hear something from us.”

Asked if there have been negotiations with Nurmagomedov, Al Shaiba replied: “It’s all with the UFC, it’s not with us.”

One of the most popular fighters in the sport, Nurmagomedov has not competed since his highly controversial victory against Ireland’s Conor McGregor last October, when a post-fight brawl resulted in Nurmagomedov receiving a nine-month ban.

The unbeaten fighter, 30, boasts a perfect record of 27 wins from 27 professional fights, a run that represents the longest undefeated streak in MMA.

A devout Muslim, Nurmagomedov has visited the UAE numerous times, including shortly after the clash with McGregor, when he made an appearance at Al Wahda's Al Nahyan Stadium. Poirier appears to be in pole position to face Nurmagomedov after he won the interim championship on April 13.

Asked earlier this month if rumours of a UAE fight were true, Nurmagomedov said: "Yes, we are working on it. UFC told me they are working on this. I just came back from Dubai. And very soon news is coming. Very soon."

Meanwhile, the venue for UFC 242 is still also to be decided. DCT Abu Dhabi said, given the time of year, the event will most probably take place indoors, and that it may require an especially constructed arena. Whereas UFC events typically attract an audience between 6,000 and 12,000 people, DCT Abu Dhabi envisage they will provide a “unique space” capable of holding up to 16,000.

“Such an event like this, it will be a festival - it will not be just a fight,” Al Shaiba said. “It’s a whole week of activities, around the city as well. We will have a lot of things happening: exhibitions, seminars, some other activations, also a concert happening there.

"So it will be a big festival for Abu Dhabi, not just the fight itself. That’s why we didn’t decide on a location yet. We wanted a space that can host everything in one place."

Al Shaiba said negotiations with the UFC dated back more than one year, but that bringing the renowned MMA organisation back to the emirate was always an obvious choice.

“If you look into that sport as an entertainment as well, you will see it’s growing very fast,” he said. “Our studies show we have around 12 per cent of the population in the UAE that are UFC fans. That by itself makes us more interested in bringing this fight here.

“Also, if you look into the media and broadcast value, it makes sense for us to get it here in Abu Dhabi and be one of the marketing channels we use to promote the destination. Looking to fans, how they travel to attend these kinds of events, it has great potential for us.

“And it’s a win-win, mutual interest for the UFC. They wanted a place that is a hub between the East and West, and they look at Abu Dhabi as a great place to hold that event.”

In a statement on Monday, UFC president Dana White said: “We are making a long-term commitment to Abu Dhabi because we have had great success in that market. The demand from our fans to bring UFC back to Abu Dhabi has been overwhelming, and over the next five years, DCT Abu Dhabi will help us deliver some spectacular UFC championship fights to the UAE.

"I’m very excited about this partnership and what it will mean for the growth of this sport and for UFC in the region.”