Local organisers of last weekend’s UFC 242 say the event exceeded expectations and that they are looking forward to an even more successful fight night next year.
The UFC returned to the capital last week for the first time in five years, with Saturday’s event at The Arena on Yas Island concluding the inaugural Abu Dhabi Showdown Week. The third UFC event to be held here, it marked the first in a five-year partnership announced with the Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi in April, which guarantees major fights through to 2023 at least.
Attended by close to 14,000 fans, a sold-out UFC 242 was headlined by Khabib Nurmagomedov’s submission victory against Dustin Poirier in their lightweight unification bout. The Dagestan native, comfortably the night’s main draw, extended his unblemished professional mixed martial arts (MMA) record to 28-0.
"It definitely exceeded expectations," Fatima Saeed Al Baloushi, the DCT's Acting Events Calendar Planning and Development manager, Abu Dhabi Events Bureau, told The National. "If we look at the last two years, 2010 and 2014, when UFC came in it created a good experience. But the 2019 edition was exceptional. We had an amazing crowd - 55 per cent international visitors coming in - enjoying the fan zone and attending the 13 fights on the fight card.
“We had a wonderful main card, amazing names and, of course, the highlight was Khabib and Dustin. The evening ended in the champ being undefeated and continued to hold his titles, while the crowd showed Dustin so much respect in the octagon afterwards.
“Abu Dhabi has been a great platform to show the values of MMA. We have enjoyed hosting UFC 242 and we look forward to 2020.”
Next year, the event is set to move to Yas Bay Arena, still in development, with the capacity expected to increase to upwards of 18,000. Al Baloushi said DCT-Abu Dhabi were confident some of the issues experienced by fans at The Arena on Saturday – for example, problems arose in transport from the venue after the event – would be negated by switching to Yas Bay, and that UFC 242 had provided organisers with a number of “learning opportunities”.
Al Baloushi also said the UFC had been hugely positive in their feedback throughout the event and afterwards, corroborating the promotion's president Dana White's comments late on Saturday in which he heralded it a huge success.
“What will be great is that we will have the new venue, in Yas Bay Arena,” Al Baloushi said. “Having a permanent structure comes in with the facilities that help the live experience and the journey for the consumers versus a temporary structure. So that will be key. It will definitely uplift the consumer journey for 2020.
“Also, one of the greatest things we did through Abu Dhabi Showdown Week is we created a full fight week, with a lot of auxiliary city-wide activations across the city where the different multiple touch points in the city – the malls, the retail sector, the F&B sector, and hotels - were also a part of this celebration.
“It was a beautiful addition to UFC 242, as were the pre-fight and after-fight concerts. It wasn’t just one-day event. It was multiple events that went above and beyond the UFC programme. And that’s something we’d like to continue.
"This model has allowed people to come and stay longer in the destination. So it helped boost the economy, helped boost our numbers in the tourism sector. And we look forward to maintain that and grow that in the next year."
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Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed receives UFC champion Khabib Nurmagomedov
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Speaking Saturday, White said the UFC planned to do "some cool stuff" next year, and that talks had taken place to shoot his Looking for a Fight documentary in Abu Dhabi. He said it could culminate in a bout taking place at the top of Louvre Abu Dhabi, with the idea being to unearth an athlete from the region to compete on fight night.
“That’s something exciting,” Al Baloushi said. “It shows you how we’re taking this live experience and getting into the community and engaging the community in multiple ways. And we’re excited that we’re able to create a talent, a fighter who can participate in the name of Abu Dhabi or the region. Hopefully Abu Dhabi will be the home of such opportunities with UFC.”
Asked if, given his resounding popularity, there would be attempts made to convince Nurmagomedov to return next year, Al Baloushi said: "Abu Dhabi would definitely welcome any athlete that is top of his rank, any champion or anyone who wants to create history and change history.
"So, if Khabib decides to come back to Abu Dhabi and defend his title again, we are more than happy to welcome him back. Khabib was greeted very well by the whole community, from the leadership of the country all the way to the fans, and there's a huge community here from his hometown who are also excited to see him again.
"I don’t know if he’s going to come back to Abu Dhabi, but he’s certainly always welcome in Abu Dhabi.”
How to apply for a drone permit
- Individuals must register on UAE Drone app or website using their UAE Pass
- Add all their personal details, including name, nationality, passport number, Emiratis ID, email and phone number
- Upload the training certificate from a centre accredited by the GCAA
- Submit their request
What are the regulations?
- Fly it within visual line of sight
- Never over populated areas
- Ensure maximum flying height of 400 feet (122 metres) above ground level is not crossed
- Users must avoid flying over restricted areas listed on the UAE Drone app
- Only fly the drone during the day, and never at night
- Should have a live feed of the drone flight
- Drones must weigh 5 kg or less
Armies of Sand
By Kenneth Pollack (Oxford University Press)
THE SPECS
Engine: 1.6-litre turbo
Transmission: six-speed automatic
Power: 165hp
Torque: 240Nm
Price: From Dh89,000 (Enjoy), Dh99,900 (Innovation)
On sale: Now
Test
Director: S Sashikanth
Cast: Nayanthara, Siddharth, Meera Jasmine, R Madhavan
Star rating: 2/5
Sunday:
GP3 race: 12:10pm
Formula 2 race: 1:35pm
Formula 1 race: 5:10pm
Performance: Guns N' Roses
Major matches on Manic Monday
Andy Murray (GBR) v Benoit Paire (FRA)
Grigor Dimitrov (BGR) v Roger Federer (SUI)
Rafael Nadal (ESP) v Gilles Muller (LUX)
Adrian Mannarino (FRA) Novak Djokovic (SRB)
WWE Super ShowDown results
Seth Rollins beat Baron Corbin to retain his WWE Universal title
Finn Balor defeated Andrade to stay WWE Intercontinental Championship
Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
AIR
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDirector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EBen%20Affleck%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStars%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EMatt%20Damon%2C%20Jason%20Bateman%2C%20Ben%20Affleck%2C%20Viola%20Davis%3Cbr%3E%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
If you go
- The nearest international airport to the start of the Chuysky Trakt is in Novosibirsk. Emirates (www.emirates.com) offer codeshare flights with S7 Airlines (www.s7.ru) via Moscow for US$5,300 (Dh19,467) return including taxes. Cheaper flights are available on Flydubai and Air Astana or Aeroflot combination, flying via Astana in Kazakhstan or Moscow. Economy class tickets are available for US$650 (Dh2,400).
- The Double Tree by Hilton in Novosibirsk ( 7 383 2230100,) has double rooms from US$60 (Dh220). You can rent cabins at camp grounds or rooms in guesthouses in the towns for around US$25 (Dh90).
- The transport Minibuses run along the Chuysky Trakt but if you want to stop for sightseeing, hire a taxi from Gorno-Altaisk for about US$100 (Dh360) a day. Take a Russian phrasebook or download a translation app. Tour companies such as Altair-Tour ( 7 383 2125115 ) offer hiking and adventure packages.
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Company%20Profile
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Despacito's dominance in numbers
Released: 2017
Peak chart position: No.1 in more than 47 countries, including the United States, the United Kingdom, Australia and Lebanon
Views: 5.3 billion on YouTube
Sales: With 10 million downloads in the US, Despacito became the first Latin single to receive Diamond sales certification
Streams: 1.3 billion combined audio and video by the end of 2017, making it the biggest digital hit of the year.
Awards: 17, including Record of the Year at last year’s prestigious Latin Grammy Awards, as well as five Billboard Music Awards
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
RESULTS
Welterweight
Tohir Zhuraev (TJK) beat Mostafa Radi (PAL)
(Unanimous points decision)
Catchweight 75kg
Anas Siraj Mounir (MAR) beat Leandro Martins (BRA)
(Second round knockout)
Flyweight (female)
Manon Fiorot (FRA) beat Corinne Laframboise (CAN)
(RSC in third round)
Featherweight
Bogdan Kirilenko (UZB) beat Ahmed Al Darmaki
(Disqualification)
Lightweight
Izzedine Al Derabani (JOR) beat Rey Nacionales (PHI)
(Unanimous points)
Featherweight
Yousef Al Housani (UAE) beat Mohamed Fargan (IND)
(TKO first round)
Catchweight 69kg
Jung Han-gook (KOR) beat Max Lima (BRA)
(First round submission by foot-lock)
Catchweight 71kg
Usman Nurmogamedov (RUS) beat Jerry Kvarnstrom (FIN)
(TKO round 1).
Featherweight title (5 rounds)
Lee Do-gyeom (KOR) v Alexandru Chitoran (ROU)
(TKO round 1).
Lightweight title (5 rounds)
Bruno Machado (BRA) beat Mike Santiago (USA)
(RSC round 2).
Results
Ashraf Ghani 50.64 per cent
Abdullah Abdullah 39.52 per cent
Gulbuddin Hekmatyar 3.85 per cent
Rahmatullah Nabil 1.8 per cent
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre flat-six twin-turbocharged
Transmission: eight-speed PDK automatic
Power: 445bhp
Torque: 530Nm
Price: Dh474,600
On Sale: Now
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
The biog
Favourite colour: Brown
Favourite Movie: Resident Evil
Hobbies: Painting, Cooking, Imitating Voices
Favourite food: Pizza
Trivia: Was the voice of three characters in the Emirati animation, Shaabiyat Al Cartoon
Formula Middle East Calendar (Formula Regional and Formula 4)
Round 1: January 17-19, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 2: January 22-23, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 3: February 7-9, Dubai Autodrome – Dubai
Round 4: February 14-16, Yas Marina Circuit – Abu Dhabi
Round 5: February 25-27, Jeddah Corniche Circuit – Saudi Arabia
