The UFC returns to Abu Dhabi on Saturday, 25 July 2026, with a Fight Night card at Etihad Arena on Yas Island, headlined by a light-heavyweight bout between Magomed Ankalaev and Khalil Rountree Jr.
A former champion returns
Ankalaev, the number-one ranked light-heavyweight, makes his return to the octagon for the first time since losing the title to Alex Pereira at UFC 320 last October. He faces the fifth-ranked Rountree Jr in a contest with clear implications for the division's title picture — a win would likely push Ankalaev back toward a rematch for the belt.
The co-main event pits number-two ranked bantamweight Umar Nurmagomedov against the eighth-ranked David Martinez, another matchup capable of reshaping its division's rankings. The card also features bouts across several weight classes from flyweight to heavyweight.
Tickets and Abu Dhabi's UFC ties
Tickets go on general sale at noon Gulf time on Wednesday, 3 June, through Ticketmaster.ae, with prelims and the main card scheduled across the evening for international broadcast.
The event continues a relationship between the UFC and Abu Dhabi that dates back years. The emirate hosted the promotion's "Fight Island" events in 2020, when it staged cards behind closed doors during the global pandemic, and has welcomed the UFC back regularly since. Yas Island, home to Etihad Arena, Yas Marina Circuit and a cluster of theme parks and hotels, has become a fixture on the international sports and entertainment calendar. For Abu Dhabi's tourism authorities, marquee fixtures like a UFC card draw fans from across the region and fill hotels, reinforcing the capital's strategy of using live sport to attract visitors year-round.