Issue 192

September 2020

What once seemed a fantasy is now a reality and Yas Island has become part of UFC folklore.

When Dana White first revealed his idea for Fight Island, as a response to international fighters being unable to travel to the US during the Covid-19 pandemic, there were more than a few doubters. Just a few months later, however, Abu Dhabi’s Yas Island has established itself in the fight league’s folklore and what once seemed impossible, is now the new normal. Turning the idea into reality has cemented the UFC’s position at the head of MMA and testifies to White’s ambitious, can-do response to keeping the show on the road. It also promises to broaden the sport’s international appeal and points to Abu Dhabi’s growing involvement in MMA. Fight Island has kept worldwide interest in the sport alive with some major fights staged there already and more in the pipeline. The pandemic will end sooner or later, but Fight Island’s legacy in MMA will endure.