Álvaro G. ColmeneroSEGUIR Updated: Save Send news by mail electrónicoTu name *
Your email *
email *
The power of mixed martial arts (MMA, for its acronym in English), more specifically, the main company of this sport, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), was demonstrated to be the first major global competition was launched last may, with the celebration of three events behind closed doors in Florida. Despite being a sport pop-up, which still doesn’t reach the three decade of life, has opened up a gap prevailing in the international spectrum and fighting for position gradually in our country. Those evenings were the first punch on the table, but had the limitation that they could only participate athletes who were already in u.s. territory. Now comes the second blow of authority. is UFC has announced that the “island of the fight” is a reality . The company of the three letters is going to host four events in the Yas island , located in Abu Dhabi (United Arab Emirates), which will take place the days 11, 15, 18 and 25 July. With this movement, UFC saves the biggest stumbling block that I had in these moments : the participation of the great fighters residing in South america, Asia, Oceania and Europe.
“we came up with the idea of organizing fights in “Fight Island” because we needed to a destination to celebrate international events during the pandemic coronavirus. Abu Dhabi has been an amazing place to carry out fights in the last ten years and is the perfect place for these events,” said the UFC president, Dana White , after the announcement. “The infrastructure we are building will be a unique opportunity, never been done before. From the stadium, the training facilities and private the octagon on the island, it will be an experience that none of us shall forget it, we are going to offer a few fights amazing “, we have been proud boss, who sees fulfilled his word given at the beginning of the health crisis. is Neither the biggest threat in a long time, has succeeded in blocking the plans of the chief executive UFC . In fact, in the first event, UFC 251, there will be three belts in play, something unusual, a sign that the bet for this project is huge.
The infrastructure of the speaking White will be calculated to the millimeter, to comply with all the sanitary measures and prevent a mishap do is catalogue this adventure of fiasco world. For this reason, will count, as up to now, with a system of diagnostic tests for Covid-19 to all the participants of the event. In addition, the Department of Culture and Tourism (DCT) of the capital emiratí going to create a security zone that will span 25 square miles . In it, you will frame the octagon of the fight, the hotel, the facilities of the trainings as well as restaurants and only have access to the fighters and their coaches, the staff of UFC and the employees of the different services needed to ensure the functioning of the “island of the fight.”
“Our partnership with UFC, now in its second year, has proven to be one of our most successful companies. Thanks to your commitment and cooperation, we are proud to announce that we will be the host of the “Fight Island” , which marks the long-awaited return of UFC to the world stage,” noted the president of DCT, Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak , after confirmed the agreement.
Since the return to action in the UFC, all fights take place without public – REUTERS
This is not the first time that Dana White decides to bring his show to Abu Dhabi. In fact, in September of last year, the island –artificial– Yas was the scene of UFC 242, in which the Russian Khabib Nurmagomedov , champion of the light weight and the star brand of this sport, successfully defended his belt against Dustin Poirier with 14,000 souls clogging the pavilion. Not so on this occasion, therefore will be prohibited the attendance of the public to witness any of the four scheduled events. However, it is something that UFC can assume, as the lawsuits of the “island of the fight,” it will broadcast live via the stations global spread over all the continents through the system of pay-per-view. From the u.s. company to ensure that reach 175 countries, in 40 different languages and is considered a ability to put your signal in a total of 1000 million households.
This island, which is now becomes the epicenter planetary battle , may be familiar to lovers of the Formula 1, because in this idyllic territory there is the Yas Marina circuit, built in 2009 to house all the races of the first level. The urban project also includes the theme park of Ferrari, a marina, areas, residences and sports, as well as a park and water recreation. Again, the first triumph of the night will be for the UFC .
