Abu Dhabi events company Flash Entertainment, who recently acquired a ten percent stake in Zuffa Ultimate Fighting Championship, will stage the first ever outdoor fights in the UAE capital in April, the organisers announced on Wednesday.
The event will be held at the outdoor Concert Arena, Ferrari World, Yas Island on April 10 and will include two major fights between some of the UFC’s biggest names.
UFC lightweight champion BJ ‘The Prodigy’ Penn will take on No.1 contender Frankie ‘The Answer’ Edgar, while UFC middleweight champ Anderson ‘The Spider’ Silva will defend his title against fellow Brazilian striker, Vitor ‘The Phenom’ Belfort.
UFC President Dana White said: “This is one of the biggest and most significant nights in the history of the UFC. UFC 112 is our first ever outdoor event and it is taking place in the hometown of our brand new partners, Flash Entertainment. We are very happy we could deliver what fans around the world will recognise as a stacked card featuring the sport’s biggest stars.”
Flash Entertainment has previously hosted large-scale events in Abu Dhabi, such as Shakira, Coldplay, The Killers, Rihanna and the Yasalam series of concerts during the Formula 1 Etihad Airways Abu Dhabi Grand Prix in November.
“Abu Dhabi has a long tradition of mixed martial arts, and hosting UFC 112 continues the country’s love and passion for the sport. We really can’t wait to welcome these elite athletes, and showcase a truly magnificent sport to the people of the region,” said John Lickrish, managing director of Flash Entertainment.
Ultimate fighting was first founded in 1993 and combines boxing, wrestling and martial arts to find the best fighter.
