Abu Dhabi is in the middle of pulling off a world-first.

A break away from COVID-19, the global pandemic which saw the unprecedented full stop on travel, major sporting events and schools worldwide, it’s been incredible to see the RETURN of major sports and entertainment and the prep-work that goes into it all happening right on our doorstep!

With a bleak summer ahead, when people questioned whether it’s even safe to leave your home, Abu Dhabi has created something extraordinary, against the odds.

This Sunday, UFC Fight Island kicked off and the landmark Fight Nights pave the way for future sporting events in this uncertain time

Fighters, personnel and media landed in the UAE capital weeks before the big event

UFC President Dana White was searching for a safe haven for fighters, one that had the capacity to host something as unique as this. What city could welcome fighters from all over the world and the means to roll-out the high standard of safety precautions needed to pull this off?

Enter Abu Dhabi! The UAE capital currently has a rolling contract with the UFC, not to mention a region filled with UFC supporters.

And so followed the ground-breaking preparations which allowed the UAE capital to welcome back an international event during a global pandemic including early arrivals for all fighters and crew, 14-day hotel room quarantine, and 3 COVID tests PER PERSON.

Abu Dhabi was chosen as the first edition of UFC Fight Island and thus giving all of us something major to look forward to this July

The move to take on Fight Island proves Abu Dhabi’s commitment to hosting international sports events

The landmark four Fight Nights will lay the groundwork for sporting events to come. The precautions allowed a 740-strong crew to construct the venue and competition area. Then, the area was cordoned off by Abu Dhabi Police before a full sanitization took place with 1,642 local personnel now operational in the safe zone and hundreds more fighters and crew from UFC. The weigh-ins and the fights, usually massive media spectacles held in front of a captive audience are empty bar each fighter’s team and supporting personnel.

Abu Dhabi’s safe zone for UFC Fight Island set the standard for sports and entertainment safety and it’s the roadmap for things to come

Watch the world’s best fighters live from Abu Dhabi on UFC Fight Island

UFC Fight Island^TM  is running from July 11 – 26

Check out the action-packed schedule here

Thursday, July 16 from 3am

Sunday, July 19 from 1am

Sunday, July 26 from 1am

Fans can watch the fights live on UFC Arabia