UFC president talks about the enduring relationship with the emirate ahead of UFC 333

Dana White is no stranger to Abu Dhabi. The UFC president has visited the emirate regularly for almost two decades. His enthusiasm shows no sign of waning.

As the UFC returns to Etihad Arena for UFC 333 on Saturday, White says Abu Dhabi remains one of the most important destinations on the organisation’s global calendar.

“Abu Dhabi is a very special place to us,” White tells The National. “We always try to deliver here.”

The UFC’s relationship with Abu Dhabi dates back to 2009, while the extraordinary Fight Island series during the Covid-19 pandemic cemented the emirate’s place in the organisation’s history.

White still looks back on that period with particular fondness.

“Fight Island was really special for us,” he says. “We had a blast over here during probably the scariest time in human history. It was incredible. It was a great experience, and there’s always going to be a special place in our hearts here at the UFC for Abu Dhabi.”

With a stacked card featuring two title fights, there is plenty for fans to get excited about. Etihad Arena is sold out, although White managed to find a few extra tickets for one particularly eager young Emirati fan at Thursday’s press conference. The youngster had offered to let White shave his head in exchange for tickets. White handed them over for free – meaning the fan got his UFC seats and kept his hair.

White believes Abu Dhabi’s attraction extends beyond the fights themselves.

“The thing about putting on events, fights, concerts, whatever it may be, it’s about destinations – the hotels, the restaurants, all the other things to do here, and then the fight.”

The UFC’s business also grew dramatically during the pandemic, with Abu Dhabi playing a central role in keeping mixed martial arts alive while other sports were on life support.

“Our business grew like 77 per cent during Covid,” White says. “Fans from all over the world were watching what was going on here in Abu Dhabi.”

The UFC president believes that experience helped create a lasting connection between the world’s leading MMA organisation, its fighters and the UAE capital.

“It was a special time,” he says.

This is the second time since the Iran war kicked off that the UFC has returned to Abu Dhabi following UFC Fight Night in July. Between that and helping stage live events during the pandemic, Abu Dhabi’s relationship with the UFC is one defined by overcoming adversity.

Expanding on the close ties, White said: “Relationships are based on how do you react when bad things happen? And Abu Dhabi’s been very good to us, and we reciprocate.”

Looking back on UFC 321

That relationship has also survived some painful nights.

At the last numbered event in Abu Dhabi 12 months ago, fans were left disappointed as the main event turned into a damp squib. The bout was ruled a no-contest after Tom Aspinall was unable to continue after receiving a knuckle-deep eye poke, ruled unintentional, by Ciryl Gane.

The prevailing sense among many fight fans was that the UFC owed Abu Dhabi a memorable event to make up for it. White laughed off the suggestion.

UFC 321 in pictures

“I don’t know if UFC ‘owes us one’. I mean, this is a contact sport. Anything is possible. These things happen,” he says. “But, you know, Abu Dhabi is a very special place to us. We always try to deliver here.”

Asked for an injury date on Aspinall, White said his staff were in contact with the Englishman and his team but gave no update on when he might be ready to return from his injuries.

“When he's ready, he's going to let us know.”

Gane has since been promoted from interim to full champion without having to fight, something unprecedented in the promotion’s history. Why the exception?

“I mean, he's been here forever. He's fought everybody; we knew Tom wasn't coming back anytime soon.”

Gane will defend the belt for the first time next month at Madison Square Garden against Josh Hokit.

Nurmagomedov to the UFC?

One fighter linked with a move to the UFC is Usman Nurmagomedov. He is officially out of contract with rival organisation the PFL following his win over Archie Colgan at PFL New York in July.

He is locked into a 90-day exclusive negotiating period with the PFL, meaning he cannot officially sign or negotiate with other promotions like the UFC until this window expires. That window is closing soon.

A switch to the UFC has long been mooted. There is already a familial connection: Usman’s brother, Umar, already fights there while their famous cousin, Khabib, is regarded as one of the UFC’s greatest champions of all time.

When asked if any talks had been held with the Dagestani, White gave little away.

“Well, contractually, I don't know where he's at right now, but obviously, when he's a free agent, and he's able to talk to us, we're interested.”

RAF and boxing a threat to UFC?

Another hot topic is crossover between disciplines and organisations. The UFC is happy to let stars such as Khamzat Chimaev and Arman Tsarukyan compete in RAF wrestling. Both are slated to compete at RAF’s inaugural Abu Dhabi event next month.

While wrestling is an important part of MMA, so too is boxing. One fighter particularly keen to chance his arm in the latter is UFC middleweight champion Sean Strickland.

The American went on an epic social media rant recently, threatening to quit the UFC as he voiced his frustration at the disparity between what the promotion’s top stars earn and the rest of the roster.

Never one to miss an opportunity to step into the ring with a fighter capable of killing him, Jake Paul urged Strickland to reach out and set up a boxing match.

White hasn’t commented on Strickland’s situation, which is not without precedent. Conor McGregor took part in a boxing match against Floyd Mayweather in 2017, while several former UFC stars who are no longer under contract have also swapped the octagon for the squared circle.

So why is White happy to allow his fighters to cross over into one discipline but is seemingly less enthusiastic about boxing? Does he see it as a threat to the UFC’s product?

“I’m trying to think off the top of my head. Tell me one good experience where a UFC fighter or an MMA fighter has crossed over into boxing and it’s ended unbelievably well?”

He’s got me. I can’t.

UFC 333 predictions

As for UFC 333, White refuses to predict the outcomes of a card featuring two championship fights: Alexander Volkanovski defending his featherweight title against Movsar Evloev in the main event, and Petr Yan facing Merab Dvalishvili in their bantamweight trilogy bout.

“I never give predictions,” White says. “I predict a great fight. That’s what I predict.”

He expects plenty of intrigue in both title bouts, particularly given the contrasting styles.

“I think that’s the fun of both of those fights: the co-main and the main,” he says. “Merab is going to be shooting for the takedown, and if he doesn’t get him down, it’s going to be a long night.

“And I think the same thing goes for Volkanovski. He said yesterday, ‘He [Evloev] thinks he’s going to be able to take me down, but he won’t, and he’s going to have to stand and strike with me’. So both the co-main and main event sort of have the same theme to them.”

The focus is firmly on Abu Dhabi, a destination that White believes has become an integral part of the UFC story.