- UFC is running a series of four events at a private island campus in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, dubbed UFC Fight Island.
- Holding the events at a private destination enables UFC to implement ideal safety measures against COVID-19 and allows international fighters to circumvent travel restrictions and visa issues.
- The final Fight Island event for July will be UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Till on July 25, though it’s possible that additional Fight Island matches could be scheduled in the future.
- You can stream all UFC Fight Island matches live on ESPN+, and some of the action will also be available on the ESPN cable channel.
UFC has set up shop on Yas Island, a tourist destination in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, for a month-long series of events dubbed UFC Fight Island.
While UFC has already held events in Las Vegas and Jacksonville since the COVID-19 pandemic reached the United States in March, moving the competition to a private island in Abu Dhabi will help international fighters circumvent travel and visa restrictions.
A total of four UFC events are scheduled to take place on Fight Island through July 25 before the league returns to the UFC Apex in Las Vegas in August. However, UFC President Dana White told the Associated Press that UFC could return to Yas Island for more events later this year.
The UFC campus spans six square miles and includes training and medical facilities for fighters and staff. Fans will not be in attendance for UFC 251 or any other UFC Fight Island events due to the pandemic. According to the AP, about 2,000 people are working under UFC's Fight Island quarantine bubble.
White shared a video showing a map of the facility and the precautions needed to get Fight Island up and running. UFC has implemented at least 18 different safety precautions during the pandemic, including advanced medical screenings, regular testing, temperature checks, and social distancing guidelines.
All four events will be streamed live on ESPN+, which costs $4.99 per month or $49.99 per year. The main event of UFC 251, which featured this month's highest profile matches, cost an additional $64.99 to watch.
You can access the ESPN+ app on all major mobile devices and smart TVs, including Amazon Fire, Apple, Android, Chromecast, PS4, Xbox One, Roku, Samsung products, and more.
Below, we've detailed all of the events happening on UFC Fight Island this month, and how you can watch.
Updated on 7/24/2020 by Kevin Webb: We've revised this article to include results for UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez.
July 11 - UFC 251
Kamaru Usman successfully defended the welterweight championship against 2019 Fighter of the Year Jorge Masvidal; while featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski retained his belt after a controversial split-decision in his rematch against Max Holloway.
The night marked Usman's third title defense and marks a 16-fight win streak for the Nigerian fighter. Usman's next opponent is expected to be top-ranked welterweight contender Gilbert Burns. Masvidal replaced Burns in the main event of UFC 251 with just six days notice after Burns tested positive for COVID-19.
July 15 - UFC Fight Night: Kattar vs. Ige
Featherweight Calvin Kattar prevailed over Dan Ige in the main event of this UFC Fight Night event, with Kattar striking Ige more than 70 times in the face on his way to a win by decision.
Mounir Lazzez exchanged more than 160 blows while defeating Abdul Razak Alhassan in a three-round decision that included an impressive flying knee.
July 18 - UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez
Deiveson Figueiredo claimed the vacant UFC Flyweight championship in a rematch against Joseph Benavidez during the July 18 Fight Night at UFC Fight Island. Figueiredo won a February 29 match against Benavidez via TKO, but he weighed in at 127.5lbs, making him ineligible to become the flyweight champion at the time.
Figueiredo scored another decisive victory over Benavidez on Fight Island, forcing a submission at the close of the fight's first round.
July 25 - UFC Fight Night: Whittaker vs. Till
Top middleweight contender Robert Whittaker returns to the ring against fifth-ranked Darren Till in the most jam-packed fight card of the month. The match will be Whittaker's first fight since losing the middleweight championship to Israel Adesanya in October 2019.
UFC currently has 15 fights scheduled for the evening, with the action kicking off at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. on ESPN and ESPN+.