A hugely successful Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, headlined by an epic UFC 267 at a packed Etihad Arena, has firmly cemented Abu Dhabi’s status as a major capital of MMA, according to UFC stars and event organisers.
The week-long fight-and-fitness-themed festival, which included opportunities for fans to get exclusive access to the inner workings of a UFC event through open workouts, press conferences and fighter weigh-ins, culminated in a thrilling UFC 267, as Abu Dhabi became the first city outside of Las Vegas to host four UFC numbered events.
Glover Teixeira, who turned 42 on Thursday, produced a stunning performance to upset light heavyweight champion Jan Blachowicz in the main event to become the second oldest UFC champion in history in front of a high-energy Etihad Arena crowd on Saturday night, the first event at Abu Dhabi’s latest world-class live entertainment venue to be allowed more than 10,000 spectators following Abu Dhabi’s easing of COVID restrictions.
That bout was just one of the highlights of a thrilling night of live action and the crowning of a glorious week for combat sports, which not only underlined Abu Dhabi’s capabilities to host mega events in a safe environment but reinforced the UAE capital’s bid to be recognised as a global MMA capital.
Following his victory, Teixeira, said: “Thank you Abu Dhabi. I’ve been training 20 years to get this point. It feels amazing. Jan has been a great champion, but now is my time. Abu Dhabi is a great place to come and fight. They know their combat sports; they know their MMA. The hospitality is truly amazing. It doesn’t get much better than this.”
HE Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director of Tourism and Marketing, at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), the event organisers, said: “The second Abu Dhabi Showdown Week marks a special moment in Abu Dhabi’s evolution. The emirate has shown its capacity to host mega events safely on numerous occasions in the past 12 months. However, seeing so many people engaging in events throughout the week and the crowd inside Etihad Arena demonstrates what can be achieved with collaboration and key stakeholders sharing a common goal.
“We knew there was a huge appetite for UFC and MMA in this region, but the level of enthusiasm and interaction we have seen this week reaffirms our efforts to be recognised as a capital of MMA, promoting the sport but also fostering active, healthy lifestyles in line with Abu Dhabi’s Vision 2030.”
UFC President Dana White added: “I love coming here. It’s a great place. I’m now a citizen of the UAE, which feels lovely. Abu Dhabi has been instrumental in what we’ve done in the past 10 to 12 years and is going to become even more instrumental.”
Those views were echoed by English fighter Lerone Murphy, who beat Finland’s Makwan Amirkhani in their featherweight clash to become the first man to record two wins inside Etihad Arena, the UFC’s international home, following a victory at UFC 257 in January.
“I love Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is my home. I’m undefeated in Abu Dhabi. I love Abu Dhabi. Everything about it. The heat, the nice hotels, the hospitality, the people, everything. It’s just the vibe, it’s my vibe. Get me a house here,” said featherweight fighter Murphy, who has three wins and a draw in four Abu Dhabi fights.
In a message to his Abu Dhabi fans, he added: “Keep watching me, keep having me. I’m climbing the ladder and I’d love to keep fighting here. Maybe one day I’ll fight for a title here. Inshallah.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s Petr Yan secured victory over Corey Sandhagen in the co-main event to win the UFC interim bantamweight title, after which he said: “This is the second time I’ve won the title in Abu Dhabi, it feels like home to me.”
Elsewhere on the card, Khamzat Chimaev drew one of the biggest cheers of the night from a packed crowd when he raced into the Octagon and took just 3 minutes and 16 seconds to submit opponent Li Jiangliang in their welterweight bout, making it three wins from three fights in Abu Dhabi.
“It feels like home here. I really love this place; I want to fight more here. I’m happy to see people and talk to people. I think the people like me because I’m special. I will be back and hopefully fighting for a title soon,” he said.
Islam Makhachev and Zubaira Tukhugov were also roared on to victory by an excited crowd at Etihad Arena, with both of them stressing after the fight how comfortable they were in Abu Dhabi.
To ensure the safety of visitors, all ticketholders aged 16 were required to be fully vaccinated and show proof of vaccination on their ALHOSN Smartphone app and a negative PCR test result taken no more than 96 hours previously. Spectators aged 12 to 15 were asked to show a negative PCR test result conducted no more than 96hours before the event time.
The event drew a large amount of interest from overseas fans, with vaccinated international travellers able to attend the events without the need to quarantine.
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