The ongoing global health crisis paralyzed the world of sports for the most part of 2020. The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) took a fair share of the blow. In fact, a total of 17 fights were either canceled or postponed last year due to positive COVID-19 test results among fighters and members of their teams.
Still, UFC President Dana White remained firm in his goal of making fights happen despite all odds. Pressure started building up amid struggles to find a location for UFC 249, which was originally scheduled for April 2020 at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn, New York.
Health protocols and travel restrictions prevented fighters from entering the United States on time, so the company had to scour for a location elsewhere. Last June, UFC announced that they’ve secured a private island in the United Arab Emirates as a way to circumvent travel issues.
The Birth Of Fight Island
The next four events took place at Yas Bay, a man-made island off the coast of Abu Dhabi. Opened in 2009, it’s a popular tourist destination and sporting venue with a land area of 9.6 square miles. Some attractions on the island include Yas WaterWorld, Yas Marina Circuit, Warner Bros World, and Ferrari World. It also hosts the annual Formula One Abu Dhabi Grand Prix.
In July 2020, UFC transformed a 7-mile stretch of Yas Bay into a lockdown zone and dubbed it ‘Fight Island’. Apart from the octagon by the beach, they also built training and medical facilities. Only 630 people were present on the island, consisting of MMA fighters, trainers, UFC staff members, and workers.
Fight Island witnessed Kamaru Usan’s successful defense of his welterweight crown against Jorge Masdival at UFC 251. Alexander Volkanovski also retained his featherweight title, while Petr Yam bagged the vacant bantamweight title. UFC came back to Abu Dhabi two months later and held five bouts for UFC 253.
Fight Island’s Most Anticipated Battle To Date
Following the success of last year’s pay-per-view events at Fight Island, 2021 opened with a bang with UFC 257. The event was headlined by a rematch between two-division champion Conor McGregor and former interim lightweight champion Dustin Poirier. The two fighters first went head-to-head in a featherweight match in 2014. McGregor emerged as the victor via TKO in the opening round, clocking in at just a minute and 46 seconds.
In the last seven years, McGregor went on to become one of the most prized mixed martial artists in the world. He’s the first UFC fighter in history to hold two titles—featherweight and lightweight championships, simultaneously. Poirier, on the other hand, bounced back with 10 wins against some of the industry greats such as Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, and Dan Hooker.
Leading up to the rematch, the odds were stacked against McGregor’s favour. The fight marked the Irishman’s return to the octagon after talks of retirement. This was after he fought a grand total of 40 seconds in the whole year of 2020. The rest of his scheduled fights were affected by the pandemic and left him in a prolonged period of inactivity.
True enough, The Diamond delivered a stunning performance on January 23. He shocked McGregor with a flurry of shots to the head and calf in the second round, which sent the latter to the canvas. He then sealed his victory with a series of ground trikes until the referee stepped in to declare a TKO. Poirier successfully spoiled Notorious’s comeback and evened out their scorecards.
Live Sports In The ‘New Normal’
UFC 257 was witnessed by a live crowd at Fight Island. Unlike last year’s events wherein non-essential personnel were prohibited, UFC welcomed around 2,000 fans into the Etihad Arena. The venue has an 18,000-seating capacity, but only accommodated a limited number in observance of social distancing measures.
Prior to the event, the Department of Culture and Tourism in Abu Dhabi announced safety protocols for attendees. This included validation of PCR test results, thermal scanning, and sanitation guidelines. Everyone on UFC’s side also followed strict travel and quarantine guidelines from the time they landed in Abu Dhabi until their return flight home.
Fight Island’s first live event during the pandemic can be considered a success, although it’s still uncertain how safe this ‘controlled’ environment is. A lot still needs to be learned and analyzed about UFC’s remote operations these past two years. Hopefully, these could lead to a more refined structure that’s suitable for the changing landscape of sports entertainment.