Everything UAE fight fans need to know about UFC Abu Dhabi 2025

What's On

5 days ago

This weekend, the Octagon lands in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, 26, with a fight that's more than just fists and fury. At Etihad Arena, former middleweight champ Robert Whittaker takes on Reinier de Ridder, an undefeated Dutch fighter known for tying up his opponents like pretzels and winning by submission. While Whittaker's out to remind everyone he's still top tier, de Ridder wants to claim his shot at UFC gold.
If you're new to the chaos, UFC stands for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. It's the world's biggest mixed martial arts promotion. Fighters from around the globe get into an octogon shaped cage and throw hands, knees, feet and elbows. Sometimes they even throw tantrums.
It looks like chaos, but there's a kind of savage poetry to it. It's incredibly technical and weirdly beautiful. Think ballet, but with broken noses. Thanks to a long-term deal with the capital, Abu Dhabi has become a second home for the sport. Everything is five-star including world-class venues and enough glitz to make Las Vegas look underdressed. When the UFC comes to town, it's a whole week of hype.
Here's the What's On crash course to help to get in on the hype.
The vibe:
Imagine a music festival, a fashion show and a street fight had a very organised baby. The crowd is a mix of die-hard fans, Instagram influencers, gym junkies, kanduras, Crocs and confused first-timers whispering 'what just happened?'.
The event:
The main fight usually only starts around midnight, but the tension starts building from the minute the first punch of the night lands. There's trash talk, crowd roars, blood along with skill, discipline, and respect. These are athletes who train like machines and fight like gladiators. It's brutal and beautiful all at once.
Abu Dhabi Media Office
If you're going, here's how to not look lost:
-Wear what you want. Just maybe avoid all-white, blood spatters are not cute.
-Don't leave early. The main event is always last.
-Choose a fighter to support. Even if you pick based on hairstyle or walkout song, it's more fun when you're rooting for someone.
-It's okay to not know what's going on. Just cheer when everyone else does.
-Stay for the walkouts. They're half the fun. Some are theatrical, some are terrifying, and all of them are over the top in the best way.
Most importantly, confidence is key, here's some of the language you can use to sound like a UFC fan.
UFC lingo cheatsheet:
KO – Knockout. The lights go out, the crowd goes wild.
TKO – Technical Knockout. When a fighter can't continue and the ref calls it.
Submission – A fighter taps out (literally) because they're stuck in a chokehold or joint lock.
Ground and Pound – One fighter's on the ground, the other is raining fists from above. Brutal, but legal.
Undercard – The warm-up acts before the big main event. Often packed with rising stars.
Main Card – The headline fights. The ones with the hype, the belts, the pay-per-view millions.
You don't need to know the rules to feel the rush. Whether you're there for the chaos, the craftsmanship or the content, UFC in Abu Dhabi delivers the kind of night you talk about for days. It's an experience, one where the punches are real, the atmosphere is electric, and what matters is that you show up ready for it.
Location: Etihad Arena, Yas Island, Abu Dhabi
Date: 26 July
Tickets: etihadarena.ae and ticketmaster.ae
Image: Getty
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