UFC is heading to Fight Island this weekend – and what a fight we have in store for the main event!
Abu Dhabi's Yas Island is the venue for UFC 251, which is one of the Emirates' most popular leisure, shopping and entertainment destinations.
In order to comply with public health regulations set out by the Emirate government, DCT Abu Dhabi will create a safe zone of ten square miles of Yas Island.
It will include an arena, hotel, training facilities and dining establishments.
This zone will only be open to UFC athletes and their coaches, UFC staff and other event personnel and Yas Island employees who will be necessary to ensure the safe and efficient operation of the facilities.
When is UFC 251?
UFC 251 takes place this Saturday night, July 11.
There will be no fans in attendance so the UFC doesn't need to worry about the local timing of the event.
Gilbert Burns was originally slated to appear at the event, but was forced to pull out after testing positive for Covid-19. He's now been replaced with Jorge Masvidal following last gasp negotiations and he will finally settle the score with Usman.
Expect the huge main event of Usman vs Masvidal at around 5am/ midnight ET.
- Early prelims – 11pm-1am UK time / 6-8 pm ET
- Prelims – 1-3am UK time / 8-10 pm ET
- Main card – From 3am UK time / From 10pm ET
This will be followed by successive fight nights on Wednesday July 15, Saturday July 18 and Saturday July 25.
What TV channel is UFC 251 on and can I live stream it?
In the UK, BT Sport will be showing Fight Island exclusively from July 11.
The event will NOT be a pay-per-view event here in the UK, and the main card and prelims will be shown on BT Sport 1.
The early prelims will be on from 11.30pm BST on UFC Fight Pass App.
What is the UFC 251 fight card?
Main card (from 3am BST on BT SPORT 1):
- Kamaru Usman vs Jorge Masvidal (UFC welterweight title – main event)
- Alexander Volkanovski vs Max Holloway (UFC featherweight title – co-main)
- Petr Yan vs Jose Aldo (vacant UFC bantamweight title)
- Rose Namajunas vs Jessica Andrade 2 (Women's strawweight)
- Paige VanZant vs Amanda Ribas (Women's flyweight)
Prelims (from 1am BST on BT SPORT 1):
- Volkan Oezdemir vs. Jiri Prochazka (light heavyweight)
- Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos vs Muslim Salikhov (welterweight)
- Makwan Amirkhani vs Danny Henry (featherweight)
- Leonardo Santos vs Roman Bogatov (lightweight)
Early prelims (from 11.30pm on UFC FIGHT PASS)
- Marcin Tybura vs Alexander Romanov (heavyweight)
- Raulian Paiva vs Zhalgas Zhumagulov (flyweight)
- Karol Rosa vs Vanessa Melo (Women's bantamweight)
- Davey Grant vs Martin Day (bantamweight)
What is Fight Island?
Fight Island is the name given to the island where the fights will be taking place.
UFC President Dana White said: “We came up with the idea of having fights on ‘Fight Island’ because we needed a destination to hold international events during the global pandemic.
"The infrastructure we are building will be such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the fighters that’s never been done before – from the arena, the private training facility, and the Octagon on the island – it’s going to be an experience that none of us will ever forget.''
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