Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov are set to face off at Etihad Arena on Saturday, 3 August.
UFC Fight Night is set to take over Etihad Arena on Yas Island, making it the second event In Abu Dhabi in less than a year. ICYMI, the explosive UFC 294 saw Islam Makhachev retain his title with a first-round stoppage win in October 2023, as the mixed martial art organisation returned to the capital for the 17th time. And the upcoming visit on 3 August, held in partnership with DCT Abu Dhabi, will be just as action-packed — No. 2 ranked bantamweight Cory Sandhagen will face No. 9 ranked Umar Nurmagomedov.
Sandhagen (17-4, fighting out of Aurora, Colorado) returns to Abu Dhabi to cement his status as top contender in the bantamweight division. The Colorado native boasts wins over Rob Font, Chito Vera, and soon-to-be UFC Hall of Famer Frankie Edgar. He now hopes for a convincing win over rising star Nurmagomedov to make his case for a title shot. Nurmagomedov (17-0, fighting out of Chelyabinsk, Russia) looks to put the division on notice by taking out a top-ranked opponent and making his first Octagon® appearance in Abu Dhabi. He made his mark in the division after delivering dominant performances over Raoni Barcelos, Brian Kelleher, and Sergey Morozov. Now, he sets his sights on securing the biggest win of his career by getting his hand raised against Sandhagen.
This UFC Fight Night will be the 18th event in Abu Dhabi, dating back to UFC 112: INVINCIBLE in April 2010. UAE MMA, meanwhile, continues to grow to new heights as UFC signed its first-ever Emirati athlete, Mohammad Yahya, who debuted in front of a home crowd at UFC 294. “Abu Dhabi is one of the most incredible cities in the world,” said Dana White, CEO of UFC. “I love everything about Abu Dhabi, and I’m excited to bring another kick-ass event there. Abu Dhabi is an amazing destination, especially if you are a fight fan. I tell everyone to fly in early, check out the amazing food and experiences Abu Dhabi has to offer, and then end the trip with incredible fights.”
Tickets are still on sale at Etihad Arena and Ticketmaster, while VIP Experience packages are available via On Location, UFC’s official VIP experience provider. Splurge on the latter, and you can enjoy the likes of premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC athletes and more. The MMA action, incidentally, will continue into autumn as UFC 308 is confirmed to take place at Etihad Arena on 26 October. It will also bring with it fan favourite Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, a seven-day series of citywide events with dedicated fan events, concerts, hotel promotions, F&B offerings, star-studded events and more. Register your interest for UFC 308 now via Visit Abu Dhabi.
DSCVR: UFC Fight Night. Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. @ufc @etihadarena.ae
