The UFC makes its return to Abu Dhabi next month with its latest pay-per-view event: a stacked UFC 280 featuring two title bouts. Here’s the lowdown on what promises to be another blockbuster night in the capital.
What is it?
UFC 280, the latest pay-per-view event from the world’s lead mixed martial arts organisation. The card is headlined by the highly anticipated clash between Charles Oliveira and Islam Makhachev for the vacant lightweight crown. In the night’s other championship bout, bantamweight champion Aljamain Sterling takes on former belt-holder TJ Dillashaw. Several other intriguing fights have been confirmed. UFC 280 marks the conclusion to the third Abu Dhabi Showdown Week.
When is it?
UFC 280 is on Saturday, October 22. Abu Dhabi Showdown Week runs October 17-23.
Where is it?
Etihad Arena. The arena opened officially with UFC 257 in January last year, and staged UFC 267 in October – the promotion’s most recent visit to the capital.
Who’s fighting?
At the top of the bill, Oliveira will be attempting to reclaim the lightweight title he relinquished ahead of UFC 274 in May when he missed weight against Justin Gaethje. The Brazilian, 33-8 as a professional, sits third in the men’s pound-for-pound rankings and rides an 11-fight win streak. Makhachev, meanwhile, has won 10 on the spin, including two previous victories in Abu Dhabi. The Dagestani is the division’s No 4-ranked contender.
In the night’s other championship encounter, Sterling defends his bantamweight belt for the second time, this time against former champion Dillashaw. Sterling, who captured the crown last year in controversial circumstances against then-champion Petr Yan, defeated his Russian rival in the much-hyped rematch in April via split decision. Dillashaw will provide another stern test: the American, who lost the belt in 2019 after testing positive for a banned substance, is the division’s No 2-ranked contender.
Another standout match-up on the already stellar card pits against one another Yan and rising star Sean O’Malley. Yan, the No 1-challenger at bantamweight, will be looking to build on two previous victories in Abu Dhabi, while O’Malley fights outside the United States for the first time in the UFC. The American, always electric, has fast become one of the sport’s most popular athletes.
Elsewhere, in-form lightweights Beneil Dariush and Mateusz Gamrot will go head-to-head to move closer to title contention, while a top welterweight bout between Belal Muhammad and Sean Brady promises much.
Meanwhile, No 1-ranked flyweight contender Katlyn Chookagian meets UAE Warriors graduate Manon Fiorot, while the prelims carry a number of interesting match-ups. For that, the middleweight bout between Uzbekistan's Makhmud Muradov and talented Brazilian Caio Borralho stands out.
Current Card *announced bouts only, subject to change
Charles Oliveira v Islam Makhachev (vacant lightweight title)
Aljamain Sterling (c) v TJ Dillashaw (bantamweight title)
Petr Yan v Sean O’Malley (bantamweight)
Beneil Dariush v Mateusz Gamrot (lightweight)
Katlyn Chookagian v Manon Fiorot (women's flyweight)
Belal Muhammad v Sean Brady (welterweight)
Volkan Oezdemir v Nikita Krylov (light heavyweight)
Zubaira Tukhugov v Lucas Almeida (featherweight)
Abubakar Nurmagomedov v Gadzhi Omargadzhiev
Magomed Mustafaev v Jamie Mullarkey (lightweight)
Muhammad Mokaev v Malcolm Gordon (flyweight)
How to watch in UAE
Given demand, only VIP packages and hotel bundles are available, and can be accessed via https://ufcvip.com/d/ufc-280-tickets or https://www.etihadarena.ae/en/event-booking/ufc-280. Fight fans unable to attend in person can watch all the action through the UFC Arabia app.
French business
France has organised a delegation of leading businesses to travel to Syria. The group was led by French shipping giant CMA CGM, which struck a 30-year contract in May with the Syrian government to develop and run Latakia port. Also present were water and waste management company Suez, defence multinational Thales, and Ellipse Group, which is currently looking into rehabilitating Syrian hospitals.
How much do leading UAE’s UK curriculum schools charge for Year 6?
- Nord Anglia International School (Dubai) – Dh85,032
- Kings School Al Barsha (Dubai) – Dh71,905
- Brighton College Abu Dhabi - Dh68,560
- Jumeirah English Speaking School (Dubai) – Dh59,728
- Gems Wellington International School – Dubai Branch – Dh58,488
- The British School Al Khubairat (Abu Dhabi) - Dh54,170
- Dubai English Speaking School – Dh51,269
*Annual tuition fees covering the 2024/2025 academic year
In-demand jobs and monthly salaries
- Technology expert in robotics and automation: Dh20,000 to Dh40,000
- Energy engineer: Dh25,000 to Dh30,000
- Production engineer: Dh30,000 to Dh40,000
- Data-driven supply chain management professional: Dh30,000 to Dh50,000
- HR leader: Dh40,000 to Dh60,000
- Engineering leader: Dh30,000 to Dh55,000
- Project manager: Dh55,000 to Dh65,000
- Senior reservoir engineer: Dh40,000 to Dh55,000
- Senior drilling engineer: Dh38,000 to Dh46,000
- Senior process engineer: Dh28,000 to Dh38,000
- Senior maintenance engineer: Dh22,000 to Dh34,000
- Field engineer: Dh6,500 to Dh7,500
- Field supervisor: Dh9,000 to Dh12,000
- Field operator: Dh5,000 to Dh7,000
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
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
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
Results
2.30pm: Expo 2020 Dubai – Conditions (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m; Winner: Barakka, Ray Dawson (jockey), Ahmad bin Harmash (trainer)
3.05pm: Now Or Never – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (Turf) 1,600m; Winner: One Idea, Andrea Atzeni, Doug Watson
3.40pm: This Is Our Time – Handicap (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,600m; Winner: Perfect Balance, Tadhg O’Shea, Bhupat Seemar
4.15pm: Visit Expo 2020 – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (T) 1,600m; Winner: Kaheall, Richard Mullen, Salem bin Ghadayer
4.50pm: The World In One Place – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1.900m; Winner: Castlebar, Adrie de Vries, Helal Al Alawi
5.25pm: Vision – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m; Winner: Shanty Star, Richard Mullen, Rashed Bouresly
6pm: Al Wasl Plaza – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (T) 1,200m; Winner: Jadwal, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Libya's Gold
UN Panel of Experts found regime secretly sold a fifth of the country's gold reserves.
The panel’s 2017 report followed a trail to West Africa where large sums of cash and gold were hidden by Abdullah Al Senussi, Qaddafi’s former intelligence chief, in 2011.
Cases filled with cash that was said to amount to $560m in 100 dollar notes, that was kept by a group of Libyans in Ouagadougou, Burkina Faso.
A second stash was said to have been held in Accra, Ghana, inside boxes at the local offices of an international human rights organisation based in France.
Other acts on the Jazz Garden bill
Sharrie Williams
The American singer is hugely respected in blues circles due to her passionate vocals and songwriting. Born and raised in Michigan, Williams began recording and touring as a teenage gospel singer. Her career took off with the blues band The Wiseguys. Such was the acclaim of their live shows that they toured throughout Europe and in Africa. As a solo artist, Williams has also collaborated with the likes of the late Dizzy Gillespie, Van Morrison and Mavis Staples.
Lin Rountree
An accomplished smooth jazz artist who blends his chilled approach with R‘n’B. Trained at the Duke Ellington School of the Arts in Washington, DC, Rountree formed his own band in 2004. He has also recorded with the likes of Kem, Dwele and Conya Doss. He comes to Dubai on the back of his new single Pass The Groove, from his forthcoming 2018 album Stronger Still, which may follow his five previous solo albums in cracking the top 10 of the US jazz charts.
Anita Williams
Dubai-based singer Anita Williams will open the night with a set of covers and swing, jazz and blues standards that made her an in-demand singer across the emirate. The Irish singer has been performing in Dubai since 2008 at venues such as MusicHall and Voda Bar. Her Jazz Garden appearance is career highlight as she will use the event to perform the original song Big Blue Eyes, the single from her debut solo album, due for release soon.
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The specs: 2018 Jaguar E-Pace First Edition
Price, base / as tested: Dh186,480 / Dh252,735
Engine: 2.0-litre four-cylinder
Power: 246hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 365Nm @ 1,200rpm
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.7L / 100km
HWJN
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