Another two bouts have been confirmed for the UFC’s return to Abu Dhabi in October, with Amanda Ribas once again to compete in the capital.
The Brazilian, who featured in two of the three Fight Island series to take place in the emirate, was announced for UFC 267 by the promotion on Sunday. The event, which concludes Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, is set for October 30, at Etihad Arena.
Looking to bounce back from her January defeat at the same venue to Marina Rodriguez, Ribas faces compatriot and fellow strawweight Virna Jandiroba. A light-heavyweight clash between Volkan Oezdemir and Magomed Ankalaev was also confirmed on Sunday.
The card is topped by two title bouts, where Jan Blachowicz defends his light-heavyweight belt against No 1-ranked contender Glover Teixeira, while bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling takes on Petr Yan in a rematch of their title clash at UFC 259 in March. Elsewhere, Khamzat Chimaev will make his long-awaited comeback following a protracted battle with Covid-19. He takes on China’s Li Jingliang.
Like Chimaev, Ribas was one of the breakthrough stars of the inaugural Fight Island last summer. In July, the Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu specialist, 27, defeated Paige VanZant by first-round submission to extend her win streak in the promotion to four. However, Ribas lost her next bout, once more in Abu Dhabi, via a second-round TKO to Rodriguez - much to the majority fans’ disappointment at UFC 257. As such, her professional mixed martial arts record stands at 10-2.
Meanwhile, Jandiroba is 17-2 as a pro, with three victories and two defeats in the UFC. She last competed in June, when she dispatched Japan’s Kanako Murata by second-round TKO.
UFC 267 marks the UFC’s return to the emirate for the first time since January, and forms part of the five-year agreement signed in 2019 between the world’s lead mixed martial arts promotion and Abu Dhabi. More bouts are expected to be confirmed within the coming days.
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
Analysis
Members of Syria's Alawite minority community face threat in their heartland after one of the deadliest days in country’s recent history. Read more
Nepotism is the name of the game
Salman Khan’s father, Salim Khan, is one of Bollywood’s most legendary screenwriters. Through his partnership with co-writer Javed Akhtar, Salim is credited with having paved the path for the Indian film industry’s blockbuster format in the 1970s. Something his son now rules the roost of. More importantly, the Salim-Javed duo also created the persona of the “angry young man” for Bollywood megastar Amitabh Bachchan in the 1970s, reflecting the angst of the average Indian. In choosing to be the ordinary man’s “hero” as opposed to a thespian in new Bollywood, Salman Khan remains tightly linked to his father’s oeuvre. Thanks dad.
A list of the animal rescue organisations in the UAE
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
Teams
India (playing XI): Virat Kohli (c), Ajinkya Rahane, Rohit Sharma, Mayank Agarwal, Cheteshwar Pujara, Hanuma Vihari, Ravichandran Ashwin, Ravindra Jadeja, Wriddhiman Saha (wk), Ishant Sharma, Mohammed Shami
South Africa (squad): Faf du Plessis (c), Temba Bavuma, Theunis de Bruyn, Quinton de Kock, Dean Elgar, Zubayr Hamza, Keshav Maharaj, Aiden Markram, Senuran Muthusamy, Lungi Ngidi, Anrich Nortje, Vernon Philander, Dane Piedt, Kagiso Rabada, Rudi Second
ICC Women's T20 World Cup Asia Qualifier 2025, Thailand
UAE fixtures
May 9, v Malaysia
May 10, v Qatar
May 13, v Malaysia
May 15, v Qatar
May 18 and 19, semi-finals
May 20, final
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets