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Gulf Today
15-07-2025
- Sport
- Gulf Today
Abu Dhabi adds four exciting bouts to UFC Fight Night
Four new bouts have been added to the card for Abu Dhabi's UFC FIGHT NIGHT, featuring Robert Whittaker and highly-rated Dutch standout Reinier de Ridder later this month, promising an action-packed night as the world's largest sports promotion returns to Abu Dhabi on July 26 at the Etihad Anrea. Among the new additions, UAE fans will be watching closely as Emirati lightweight Mohammed Yahya returns to the Octagon to face Dallas-based Steven Nguyen, with both fighters eager to secure their first UFC win in a clash that promises intensity from the opening bell. The fight card also now features an all-action welterweight clash between 41-year-old veteran Muslim Salikhov and Carlos 'The Lion' Leal, who is 10 years his opponent's junior. Salikhov, famously known as the 'King of Kung Fu' is one of the most creative and dangerous strikers in the division, while Leal's aggressive pace and fearless approach promise to bring fireworks to the Octagon. In the women's strawweight division, Brazilian stars Amanda Ribas and Tabatha Ricci are set for a must-watch showdown. Both are elite grapplers with strong judo and jiu-jitsu backgrounds, but they are also equally capable of standing and trading blows. Ribas returns to Abu Dhabi with fond memories, having secured a win during the UFC's Fight Island series in 2020. Her experience in the UAE could give her an edge, but Ricci's compact striking and tight ground game will present a serious challenge. Also newly added to the card, Da'Mon Blackshear and Davey Grant will face off in a bantamweight showdown. Blackshear enters the bout on a three-fight win streak, while Grant has claimed victory in three of his last four outings, setting up an enticing contest where something has got to give. Earlier, UFC CEO Dana White has revealed an incredible card for UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi at the iconic Etihad Arena in Yas Island. The main event will be headlined by former UFC middleweight champion Whittaker and de Ridder — whose seamless transition from the ONE Championship has been hugely impressive. White took to social media to announce what promises to be one of the most thrilling Fight Night cards of the year, which will see No12-ranked 185-pounder De Ridder, undefeated in his three UFC bouts to date, likely earn a middleweight title eliminator should he defeat Whittaker. 'De Ridder is a former middleweight and light heavyweight world champion and has finished every one he has fought in the UFC,' White said. 'He's coming off a win over the top prospect in the sport, Bo Nickal. If De Ridder can beat Whittaker, it's very likely he'll be fighting for the No1 contender bout next. 'I am pumped for this fight because these guys are both killers — and they always come out and deliver.' The main card boasts two five-round bouts and a stacked lineup of electrifying talent, former champions, and elite contenders — all coming together for one of the year's most anticipated international showcases, marking the 21st UFC event in Abu Dhabi since 2010.
Yahoo
26-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
TKO Announces ‘Takeover' in Kansas City as UFC, WWE, and PBR Come to T-Mobile Center in April
First 'TKO Takeover Presented by VeChain' to Feature Three Dynamic Live Sports and Entertainment Experiences Over Five Days PROFESSIONAL BULL RIDERS on Thursday, April 24 UFC FIGHT NIGHT on Saturday, April 26 WWE Raw on Monday, April 28 KANSAS CITY, Mo., February 26, 2025--(BUSINESS WIRE)--TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) today announced that UFC, the world's premier mixed martial arts organization, WWE, a global leader in sports entertainment, and PBR (Professional Bull Riders), the world's premier bull riding organization, will take over the T-Mobile Center for a series of major events from April 24-28. Beginning with PBR on Thursday, April 24, continuing with UFC FIGHT NIGHT on Saturday, April 26, and culminating with WWE's flagship weekly program Raw on Monday, April 28, fans will have the opportunity to experience the non-stop action from each of these thrilling sports and entertainment properties. Through an agreement facilitated by the Kansas City Sports Commission, T-Mobile Center in Downtown Kansas City will become the first venue to host a TKO Takeover Presented by VeChain, showcasing consecutive PBR, UFC, and WWE events over a single weekend in the same city. VeChain, a global leader in blockchain solutions, has been UFC's Official Blockchain Partner since 2022 and has now expanded its commitment to become the inaugural presenting partner of the first 'TKO Takeover' to feature UFC, WWE, and PBR. "Kansas City has collectively hosted dozens of UFC, WWE, and PBR events over the years, and it has become a top destination for each of these respective promotions," said Peter Dropick, Executive Vice President, Event Development and Operations for TKO. "This is a unique opportunity to showcase these three premier properties in one city at the same time for the benefit of fans and visitors to the area. We thank the Kansas City Sports Commission and the management at T-Mobile Center for making this possible." "Kansas City has a great history of hosting world-class events, and we are thrilled to continue that tradition by partnering with three of the biggest brands in the sports and entertainment world," said Kathy Nelson, President and CEO of the Kansas City Sports Commission and Visit KC. "These events will generate significant economic impact for our hotels and local businesses, as well as shine a spotlight on Kansas City through broadcast programming and social media." "Our longstanding relationship with UFC, WWE and PBR has resulted in some of T-Mobile Center's most memorable events," said Jay Cooper, General Manager, T-Mobile Center. "The three together in one action-packed week will be an exciting opportunity for our guests to experience the very best in sports. We are honored that TKO chose T-Mobile Center as the first location for this world-class event package." An exclusive all-in-one ticket bundle comprising all three of these thrilling events will go on sale starting Monday, March 3 at 10 a.m. CST on VIP Experience packages will also be available soon via On Location. These exclusive packages offer premium seating, VIP access to events, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with athletes, and more. For additional information, please visit to view package details. Additional details about UFC athletes, WWE Superstars, and PBR bull riders scheduled to participate in their respective events in Kansas City will be announced in coming weeks. UFC and WWE are part of TKO, a premium sports and entertainment company. TKO is in the process of acquiring PBR and On Location. For more information about the first TKO Takeover Presented by VeChain, please visit Collectively, UFC, WWE, and PBR have brought more than 60 events to Kansas City over the past 20 years, with each organization having its own storied history in the city. For PBR, the Kansas City Outlaws, 2024 regular season champions in the PBR Teams league, which was formed in 2022, compete in an annual homestand at T-Mobile Center. In partnership with The Cordish Companies, PBR also operates the PBR Big Sky Bar in the Power & Light district. Among the more notable UFC athletes who have competed in Kansas City include a group highlighted by former featherweight champion Max Holloway, former flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson, former middleweight champion Robert Whittaker, and former women's strawweight champion Rose Namajunas. WWE's rich history of events in Kansas City includes hosting Money in The Bank in 2010, as well as two Raw and SmackDown events annually. Several of the biggest names in WWE have competed in Kansas City, including WWE Legend John Cena and the current Undisputed WWE Champion Cody Rhodes. About UFC® UFC® is the world's premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and approximately 290 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 975 million households across more than 170 countries. UFC's athlete roster features the world's best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization's digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world's leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit and follow UFC at and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC. About WWE WWE® is an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment. The company consists of a portfolio of businesses that create and deliver original content 52 weeks a year to a global audience. WWE is committed to family-friendly entertainment on its television programming, premium live events, digital media, and publishing platforms. WWE's TV-PG programming can be seen in more than 1 billion households worldwide in more than 20 languages through world-class distribution partners including NBCUniversal, The CW, Sony India and Netflix. In the United States, NBCUniversal's streaming service, Peacock, is the exclusive home to all premium live events, a variety of original programming and a massive video-on-demand library. Netflix is the exclusive home for WWE programming around the world, other than select international markets. WWE is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO). Additional information on WWE can be found at and About PBR (Professional Bull Riders) PBR is the world's premier bull riding organization. More than 800 bull riders compete in more than 200 events annually across the televised PBR Unleash The Beast tour (UTB), which features the top bull riders in the world; the PBR Pendleton Whisky Velocity Tour (PWVT); the PBR Touring Pro Division (TPD); and the PBR's international circuits in Australia, Brazil, and Canada. In 2022, the organization launched PBR Teams—10 teams of the world's best bull riders competing for a new championship—as well as the PBR Challenger Series with more than 60 annual events nationwide. PBR events are broadcast on CBS Television Network and Paramount+. PBR is a subsidiary of Endeavor, a global sports and entertainment company. For more information, visit or follow on Facebook at X at Instagram at and YouTube at About TKO TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company that comprises UFC, the world's premier mixed martial arts organization, and WWE, an integrated media organization and the global leader in sports entertainment. Together, our organizations reach more than 1 billion households in approximately 210 countries and territories, and we organize more than 300 live events year-round, attracting more than two million fans. TKO is majority owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR), a global sports and entertainment company. About VeChain Founded in 2015, VeChain built a world-leading enterprise smart contract platform, VeChainThor, helping deliver blockchain adoption apps to hundreds of enterprise partners. Building on this expertise, VeChain, would go on to launch the VeBetter ecosystem — a sustainability app platform that uses tokenization and incentives to engage and reward users and businesses, driving a new frontier for mainstream adoption of blockchain technology. Visit — or to explore. View source version on Contacts Media Contacts: PBR: Andrew Giangola - UFC: Chris Costello - ccostello@ WWE: Gregory Domino - Sign in to access your portfolio
