With Minotauro x Nelson and a lean card, UFC tries for the second time to conquer Abu Dhabi

UFC will try for the second time to conquer Abu Dhabi. Photo: Reproduction/YouTube

This Friday (11), the UFC will take an important step in its international expansion plan. For the second time, the organization will hold an event in Abu Dhabi, capital of the United Arab Emirates, with the speech that the Middle East is a target market for the near future.

Exactly four years ago, on April 10, 2010, the UFC arrived in the city for the first time with ambitious intentions. Two title fights, including Anderson Silva, one of the biggest stars in the organization's history, as well as a fight between Matt hugs, former welterweight champion, and Renzo Gracie, one of the best-known MMA athletes in Abu Dhabi. These were signs of an event that had everything to be a milestone for Ultimate. However, the plan ended up backfiring.

In the main fight of the night, Anderson Silva he exaggerated in his jokes and provocations towards his challenger, Demian Maia. If in the first rounds the champion had the support of the fans, in the end, you could hear boos and shouts that exalted Georges St Pierre, then owner of the welterweight belt. Dana White, president of the UFC, admitted that that was his worst moment with the organization so far. However, it took a while, but the UFC will finally return to Abu Dhabi.

Anderson's stance in the fight against Demian did not please the Abu Dhabi public. Photo: Disclosure/UFC

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But why is it important for the UFC to thrive in the Middle East? Abu Dhabi, as well as its luxurious neighbor, Dubai, has been investing heavily for years to become relevant to the Western world, through events such as the Formula 1 Abu Dhabi GP, the FIFA Club World Cup (2009 and 2010) and the Expo 2020 World Fair. This will further strengthen the country as an attractive point for tourists from Europe and East Asia, which are also key markets for the UFC.

Furthermore, since 2010, the UFC has had Flash Entertainment, owned by Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al-Nay Nan, as a minority partner. More than investing millions of petrodollars in the UFC, the heir to the Abu Dhabi monarch is a huge fight fan. He is the creator of ADCC (Abu Dhabi Combat Club, one of the biggest events in submission in the world) and one of the greatest jiu-jitsu enthusiasts in the Middle East, who frequently “imports” several teachers of the gentle art from Brazil, in addition to having made the sport a mandatory activity in the country's school curriculum. Therefore, there is a market that is increasingly familiar with fights, and the UFC is doing everything it can to win over a new and loyal fan base.

Artificial gym island is the biggest point of modernity in Abu Dhabi

Even though Dubai and Abu Dhabi are only about 150 km apart and have similar plans to gain notoriety in the Western world, the two are cities with distinct characteristics.

The first is best known for its infrastructure that exudes luxury and sophistication, with buildings such as the Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the world, and the Burj Al Arab, a luxurious seven-star hotel. Abu Dhabi, on the other hand, is more discreet. The city does not have the same tourist attractions as its neighbor, highlighting more traditional monuments, such as the Sheikh Zayed Mosque, the largest mosque in the Emirates and the eighth largest on the planet.

Sheikh Zayed Mosque is one of the great tourist attractions in Abu Dhabi. Photo: Bruno Ferreira/SUPER FIGHTS

Abu Dhabi's greatest modern attraction is the artificial island of Yas. On site are some of the city's outstanding facilities, including Ferrari World (the only Ferrari theme park in the world), the Yas Marina race track (which hosts the Abu Dhabi F1 GP), the Yas Waterworld water park and, of course, the Du Arena, the only open-air UFC stage to date.

In theory, the luxurious and cosmopolitan character of Dubai would represent a more favorable scenario for the UFC. However, planning aims at the long term. With the outbreak of the global financial crisis at the end of the last decade, Dubai's economy suffered serious threats, which will allow Abu Dhabi to increasingly consolidate itself in the coming years as the seat of power and wealth in the United Arab Emirates, consequently serving as a fertile ground for the UFC's ambitions.

Cultural barriers could be an obstacle for the UFC in the Middle East

If in markets like Brazil and England the arrival was easy and natural for the UFC, it cannot be said that the same will happen in Abu Dhabi. Even though there are many positive points in commercial terms in the city, the existing cultural barrier can be an obstacle.

Abu Dhabi is not as intolerant of everyday customs as is the case in other Muslim places, such as Saudi Arabia. However, the capital of the Emirates is more rigid than what is seen in Dubai, which can scare away potential tourists who feel intimidated by the local culture.

For example, Abu Dhabi presents a more conservative characteristic when it comes to alcoholic beverages and clothing, especially in relation to women. In Dubai, even though alcohol consumption is also prohibited in public places, there are no restrictions in private environments, such as bars and hotels. Furthermore, Western tourists who go to Abu Dhabi have to deal with a culture that does not tolerate displays of affection in public.

A poster in an Abu Dhabi shopping mall says: public displays of affection are prohibited. Photo: Bruno Ferreira/SUPER FIGHTS

Sportingly speaking, the UFC found itself at a crossroads in the events it had already planned in Abu Dhabi. At UFC 112, in 2010, the event was scheduled for a Saturday, following the tradition of attractions pay-per-view. However, this time, the day chosen was a Friday – which, for Muslim countries, would be the holy day, like Sunday for Catholic countries. This indicates that the UFC will have difficulties in reconciling the interests of the Arabs without harming the impact that the event will have in the United States.

The unsuccessful experience of 2010 taught the UFC a lesson, which, this time, will try to join Abu Dhabi with a more modest event – ​​just compare the two UFC 112 title fights against the main event of UFC Fight Night 39, which will feature two popular fighters, but who are coming off defeats. It remains to be seen whether, with Rodrigo Minotauro e Roy Nelson and a lean card, the UFC will finally find favor in the Middle East.

UFC Fight Night 39 – Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates
Day: April 11th
Time: from 13pm (Brasília time)

MAIN CARD:

Heavy weights (up to 120 kg): Rodrigo Minotauro x Roy Nelson;

Featherweights (up to 66 kg): Clay guida x Tatsuya Kawajiri;

Welterweights (up to 77 kg): John Howard x Ryan LaFlare;

Light weights (up to 70 kg): Ramsey Nijem x Beneil Dariush;

PRELIMINARY CARD:

Heavy weights (up to 120 kg): Jared Rosholt x Daniel Omielanczuk;

Bantamweights (up to 61 kg): Rani Yaya x Johnny Bedford;

Medium weights (up to 84 kg): Thales leites x Trevor Smith;

Featherweights (up to 66 kg): Alan Omer x Jim Alers

CHECK OUT THE WEIGH-IN RESULTS FROM UFC FIGHT NIGHT 39