UFC returns to Abu Dhabi on Oct. 21 with UFC 294

The UFC has announced a return to the Middle East for what has become a regular mid-fall stop.

UFC 294 will take place Oct. 21 at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, the promotion announced early Thursday. No matchups have been announced for the card, but historically the UFC has plenty of fighters from that side of the world hoping for a spot on the show in the United Arab Emirates.

UFC 294 will be the UFC’s 18th event in Abu Dhabi, though a dozen of them, from July 2020 through January 2021 were part of pandemic-era shows the company set up on “Fight Island” in a bubble capacity due to COVID-19.

The UFC did three shows in eight days at Etihad Arena in January 2021 in front of a limited number of fans. Then in October 2021, UFC 267 touched down at the venue with a light heavyweight title fight and Glover Teixeira’s submission of Jan Blachowicz to win the belt.

That card also featured Islam Makhachev and Khamzat Chimaev. Makhachev returned for UFC 280 this past October and won the lightweight title with a submission of Charles Oliveira.

Below, check out the UFC’s history of events in Abu Dhabi.

For more on the card, visit MMA Junkie’s event hub for UFC 294.