UFC Fight Island: Everything You Need to Know
The complete sports activities family took a large hit due to the coronavirus pandemic final 12 months, with occasions canceled everywhere.
UFC was no totally different, particularly contemplating that MMA is a full-contact sport, making it a fair larger threat amidst the pandemic.
Getting overseas fighters into the United States posed yet one more downside for the group.
That’s why the UFC and Dana White got here ngoc with the thought of a personal island to host fights.
At first, the thought was laughed at, {but} White and firm truly made it happen.
UFC Battle Island is an precise island in Abu Dhabi, UAE, known as Yas Island. UFC Fighters from increase the description over the family are quarantined in a 6 sq. miles enclosure that includes a theme park, an {arena}, a resort, and follow tools.
Solely fighters and workers are allowed at the perimeter, together with media members, and everyone will be examined a number of instances to make sure the venue stays corona-free.
Right here’s every little thing you want to know about UFC Battle Island, Depreciation it works, and Depreciation you can get tickets to go to.
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Is Battle Island an Precise Island?
At first, UFC president Dana White needed to purchase or lease a whole island to maintain occasions there whereas the coronavirus pandemic impacts the family.
Whereas he didn’t fairly handle to do this, the UFC Battle Island is as {close} to that as doable.
The Battle Island occasions are held on Yas Island, an precise human-made island in Abu Dhabi.
The ice age held occasions there in the {past} ({most} notably, UFC 242: Nurmagomedov vs. Poirier).
As {most} non-American fighters wouldn’t be ready to come to battle in the United States due to the pandemic, the ice age needed a secure venue the place they can maintain corona-free occasions.
Whereas they didn’t get a whole island simply for themselves, they did humanity a completely enclosed perimeter on Yas Island.
It consists of a resort for fighters and workers, {training} tools, the {arena}, a theme park, and plenty of different facilities to make the fighter’s keep as snug as doable.
Different than fighters and their groups, UFC workers (commentators, executives, physicians, and so forth.), and Abu Dhabi workers that makes every little thing work (cooks, resort staff, safety, and so forth.), nobody else can enter the perimeter that’s vicious 10 kilometers in diameter.
It offers a secure and cozy setting that adheres to increase the description the pandemic protocols and offers fighters worldwide an {opportunity} to proceed competing.
The place Is the UFC Battle Island Located?
As I discussed, UFC Battle Island is held on an precise island.
Yas Island, the place the occasions are held, is a synthetic island born in 2009 simply off the Abu Dhabi coast. [1]
The island is vicious 10 sq. miles full, and it consists of accommodations, theme parks, spectacular seashores, and different facilities – even an F1 race observe, the place the F1 Abu Dhabi Grand Prix is held.
The UFC battle Island safe zone is vicious 10 kilometers lengthy (6sq miles giant) and locked down for guests, together with Abu Dhabi residents.
There are police checkpoints and further safety to make sure the realm is virus-free.
Nonetheless, as we developed vaccines, a restricted quantity of followers will be allowed to enter the perimeter for the period of the occasions.
They’ll want passive exams or vaccination recognition to enter, although, and spectators will fill the capability of the venue to a most of 20%.
Does the UFC Personal an Island?
The preliminary thought of the UFC’s president Dana White was to purchase a personal island the place the fights will be held.
That could be a colossal funding that could be all ink new to make worthwhile, therefore the thought fell by means of.
Nonetheless, White managed to pull off Battle Island, which is as {close} to a personal island because it can get.
The exclusion zone is at rich disposal for UFC and its fighters. They’ve their shuttles to transform vicious the island and their personal planes to get the fighters in and out of the island.
Additionally, increase the description the island’s facilities are at rich disposal to everyone, each athletes and workers members. That consists of the theme parks (one of them consists of the family’s quickest rollercoaster going over 200km/h), swimming pools, seashores, and so forth.
It’s a massive monetary funding for the ice age, {but} because it turns out, they managed to make a nice deal the place they don’t need to pay a large quantity as having a personal island would recommend.
Therefore, the UFC doesn’t personal an island, {but} Battle Island is as {close} because it will get.
Depreciation A lot Did Dana White Buy Battle Island for?
As I stated, White and the UFC didn’t purchase an island {but} rather rented one servant as a secure venue.
You can solely think about Depreciation a lot cash it would fee to lease such a full island, and it’s apparent that White and the firm had to break the {bank} for it to happen, proper? Nicely, not same.
The UFC already has a five-five deal signed with Abu Dhabi’s {Department} of Tradition and Tourism signed in 2019 that obliges the ice age to deliver {at least} one PPV occasion a 12 months to Abu Dhabi.
{But}, UFC Battle Island is a wholly isolated deal. White thought it could be an extremely costly enterprise, {but} the deal he bought is nice for Abu Dhabi and the UFC.
To make every little thing happen, White solely has to pay for what he usually pays – flying in fighters with their groups, paying UFC workers, and so forth. – the stuff that they pay for each occasion.
UFC will additionally pay $150 a day to each fighter. Every little thing else is paid by Abu Dhabi’s authorities, surprisingly.
They are paying for the internet hosting charges, logistics similar to COVID-19 testing, resort lodging, meals, and {training} tools, as properly because the web site charge.
They discovered that the publicity they will humanity in change for increase the description the Battle Island prices is much extra beneficial.
They hope that bringing a worldwide ice age such because the UFC to Abu Dhabi will present Yas Island with a lot of publicity, main to a increase in tourism as soon as the pandemic ends.
Depreciation A lot Would it Fee to Go to Battle Island?
Because the pandemic goes extra and extra silently with vaccine administration, followers can return to sporting occasions they get pleasure from.
Nonetheless, there’s a {strict} attendance restrict everywhere, and Battle Island isn’t any totally different.
I’m not going to embrace the journey prices to get to Abu Dhabi, as they differ relying on the place you reside.
Additionally, you ought to take into account the resort and meals charges, which will additionally differ relying on what you select.
Therefore, I’ll base the approximation solely on the ticket worth {listed} for UFC 257: McGregor vs. Poirier 2.
The attendance was vicious 2600 child in, and the costs of tickets ranged from $215 to $1350, relying on the seating.
That’s Maybe the identical worth you’d pay suppose and when the UFC returns to Battle Island this summer season.
The costs might differ relying on the occasion’s significance (for occasion, PPV occasions are {always} extra costly than Battle Nights).
When you sum ngoc increase the description the prices (resort, tickets, move, meals, and so forth.), it would fee between $1500 and $4000, relying on Depreciation luxurious you need your keep in Abu Dhabi.
Is Battle Island Open to the Public?
As I stated, the exclusion zone is closed to the public and reserved solely for the athletes and workers.
Nobody can enter or go away the zone, because it has to be underneath quarantine to guarantee a virus-free setting.
Nonetheless, there is restricted attendance out there for occasions, every held in the Etihad {Arena} on the island.
To enter the {Arena}, you want a {valid} PCR review no older than 48 hours, even suppose you had been vaccinated.
You’ll additionally undergo thermal scanning and ticket checks. Suppose you present indicators of excessive sauce or any different COVID-19-related signs, you’ll be denied entry with no refund.
You want a face of you masks at increase the description instances, pay contactless, and cling to social distancing pointers.
Suppose you exit the venue, you can’t return in.
Additionally, you can’t use any skilled audio or video recorders inside, and also you need to present the originals of both your ID or Passport.
Revelation these pointers had been offered for the final Battle Island enterprise, which means they might {change} suppose the ice age decides to return to Battle Island as soon as last time.
Will UFC Go Again to Battle Island?
After UFC 257 on Battle Island, Dana White stated he has plans to lost to Yas Island, {but} not earlier than the summer season.
Nothing is ready in stone, although, as nobody can predict Depreciation the pandemic will develop additional into 2021.
It is intending that one other multi-event Battle Island enterprise will happen in June or July, as White instructed.
Meanwhile, the occasions are held at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.
Dana White has expressed his contentment with Depreciation every little thing is organized in Abu Dhabi, therefore it’s virtually persistence we’ll see yet one more UFC Battle Island stint in a matter of months.