UFC 251: Dana White says Abu Dhabi has been 'amazing' and 'Fight Island’s tough to beat'

UFC president can't wait for the next part of the four-event festival

Kamaru Usman of Nigeria celebrates after his victory over Jorge Masvidal in their welterweight championship fight during the UFC 251 event on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi in July 2020. Getty

Kamaru Usman and Jorge Masvidal talk after their fight. Getty

Jorge Masvidal punches Kamaru Usman. Getty

Jorge Masvidal punches Kamaru Usman. Getty

Alexander Volkanovski of Australia celebrates after his split-decision victory over Max Holloway in their UFC featherweight bout. Getty

Max Holloway kicks Alexander Volkanovski. Getty

Petr Yan of Russia celebrates after his TKO victory over Jose Aldo in their UFC bantamweight fight. Getty

Petr Yan of Russia elbows Jose Aldo of Brazil. Getty

Petr Yan punches Jose Aldo. Getty

Rose Namajunas celebrates after her split-decision victory over Jessica Andrade in their strawweight fight. Getty

Rose Namajunas and Jessica Andrade trade punches. Getty

Rose Namajunas lands a punch on Jessica Andrade. Getty

Amanda Ribas of Brazil celebrates after her victory over Paige VanZant in their flyweight fight. Getty

Paige VanZant knees Amanda Ribas. Getty

Amanda Ribas kicks Paige VanZant. Getty

Jiri Prochazka of the Czech Republic celebrates after his knockout victory over Volkan Oezdemir in their light heavyweight fight. Getty

Jiri Prochazka and Volkan Oezdemir exchange blows. Getty

Volkan Oezdemir of Switzerland punches Jiri Prochazka. Getty

Muslim Salikhov of Russia reacts after his decision victory over Brazil's Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos in their welterweight fight. Getty

Muslim Salikhov punches Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos. Getty

Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos Brazil punches Muslim Salikhov. Getty

Makwan Amirkhani of Finland after his win over Danny Henry in their featherweight fight. Getty

Makwan Amirkhani after his submission victory over Danny Henry. Getty

Makwan Amirkhani secures an anaconda choke submission against Danny Henry. Getty

Leonardo Santos of Brazil reacts after his decision victory over Russia's Roman Bogatov in their lightweight fight. Getty

Leonardo Santos punches Roman Bogatov. Getty

Roman Bogatov and Leonardo Santos trade punches. Getty

Roman Bogatov kicks Leonardo Santos. Getty

Marcin Tybura of Poland celebrates after defeating Russia's Maxim Grishin in their heavyweight fight. Getty

Maxim Grishin punches Marcin Tybura. Getty

Maxim Grishin punches Marcin Tybura. Getty

Marcin Tybura grapples with Maxim Grishin. Getty

Brazil's Raulian Paiva after his decision victory over Zhalgas Zhumagulov of Kazakhstan in their flyweight fight. Getty

Zhalgas Zhumagulov punches Raulian Paiva. Getty

Zhalgas Zhumagulov punches Raulian Paiva. Getty

Raulian Paiva punches Zhalgas Zhumagulov. Getty

Brazil's Karol Rosa celebrates after her victory over countrywoman Vanessa Melo in their bantamweight fight. Getty

Karol Rosa of Brazil before the fight on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Erica Elkhershi / The National

Karol Rosa punches Vanessa Melo. Getty

Karol Rosa punches Vanessa Melo. Getty

Vanessa Melo punches Karol Rosa. Getty

Davey Grant of England after his knockout victory over countryman Martin Day in their bantamweight fight. Getty

Davey Grant punches Martin Day. Getty

Martin Day kicks Davey Grant. Getty

Davey Grant launches a flying knee against Martin Day. Getty

A general view of the Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island prior to the UFC 251 event on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Erica Elkhershi / The National

A general view of the Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island prior to the UFC 251 event on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Erica Elkhershi / The National

A general view of the Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island prior to the UFC 251 event on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Photo by Jeff Bottari / Getty Images / Zuffa LLC

A general view of the Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island prior to the UFC 251 event on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. John McAuley / The National

A general view of the Flash Forum on UFC Fight Island prior to the UFC 251 event on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. John McAuley / The National

With the Fight Island opener in the books, Dana White has praised the series’ Abu Dhabi organisers, saying there’s not one thing they have not excelled at thus far.

UFC 251 kicked off the inaugural, four-event festival on Sunday, with three world title bouts headlining a stacked, 13-fight card at Flash Forum. Shows now follow this Wednesday, Sunday and then on July 26.

UFC president White, who created Fight Island to allow international athletes to compete during the coronavirus pandemic, said he has been greatly impressed by the whole operation. The UFC and Abu Dhabi last year signed a five-year partnership.

“I always like to get the first one behind me and we did,” White said. “And I’m looking forward to Wednesday now and just knocking them down. It’s been great; this is amazing.

"When you think about all the places we could possibly go - possibly go if everything was normal but everything is not normal - the service here from the restaurants to the hotels to everything.

“You literally can’t do it better than this. The Apex [UFC facility in Las Vegas] is great - I spent $100 million [Dh367m] on that building and I love it - but Fight Island’s tough to beat.

“Everything’s been great. If I had to criticise anything that’s happened this week, so far I can’t. There’s not one thing I could point to that hasn’t been great and over the top, especially considering the circumstances and the amount of time we had to pull this off.

“It’s unbelievable. Nobody else is doing it; nobody else has done it. I knew this was the place to do it. I’ve been in business with these guys for over a decade and they’re very, very good at what they do.”

UFC 251 was headlined by Kamaru Usman's successful welterweight title defence against Jorge Masvidal, with Alexander Volkanovski also retaining his featherweight crown in his rematch with Max Holloway. Both bouts went to the judges.

Meanwhile, Petr Yan defeated Jose Aldo for the vacant bantamweight belt, although there was controversy in that many felt the referee should have stopped the contest before he eventually did with little more than 90 seconds left on the clock. Aldo, a former featherweight champion, had taken a serious beating throughout the final round.

"Horrible, horrible stoppage by the referee,” White said. “It should’ve been stopped way sooner. It looks like we have to tighten up our refs and judges here in Fight Island.”

Asked about if he thought it was right to not offer Paige VanZant a UFC deal following her final fight, first-round submission loss to Amanda Ribas, White said: “I like Paige. When you talk all that stuff about not getting paid enough... fighting inconsistently, one time in the last year and injuries. And then got smoked in the first round. She should definitely test free agency.”