Dana White Says UFC 333 Is Happening in Abu Dhabi With No Backup Plan
Dana White confirmed the UFC has no contingency plan for UFC 333 despite escalating tensions in the Middle East.
Dana White is not moving UFC 333. The promotion president confirmed after the season 10 finale of Dana White's Contender Series that the event will proceed as planned at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on October 24, with no backup venue in place.
Asked by a CBS Sports reporter about contingency plans amid escalating violence in the Middle East, including recent missile and drone attacks targeting Riyadh, White kept it simple. "Nope. We're going," he said. Pressed on whether he had spoken with Abu Dhabi authorities about security, White repeated: "We go."
White, 57, said he will personally attend. He pointed out that TKO Group Holdings has multiple events planned in the region, with Power Slap scheduled to hold two events in Abu Dhabi and WWE also bringing shows to the area.
UFC 333 carries a loaded card. Alexander Volkanovski defends his featherweight title against undefeated contender Movsar Evloev, who enters with a perfect 20-0 record and 10 straight UFC wins. The co-main event features a bantamweight trilogy between champion Petr Yan and Merab Dvalishvili, with the fighters splitting their first two meetings.
The UFC has made Abu Dhabi a regular stop on its calendar, and the Etihad Arena has hosted some of the promotion's biggest events over the past several years. Per MMA Sucka, this will be one of the highest-profile cards held in the region amid the current geopolitical situation.
This is classic Dana. No plan B, no hedging, just "we're going" and that's the end of it. You can think what you want about the man, but he doesn't flinch.
I get why people are concerned. The Middle East situation is real and it's serious. Fighters, coaches, corners, media, thousands of fans traveling from around the world. That's a lot of lives to put on the line without a backup. But the UFC has operated in Abu Dhabi through turbulent periods before, and the Etihad Arena sits inside one of the most secure sporting complexes on the planet.
The card itself is worth the trip. Volk versus Evloev is a real test for the champ, and Yan versus Merab three is going to be a war. If you're a fighter on this card, you showed up knowing the deal. Nobody forced anyone onto this plane. I trust the UFC's security team, but I also understand why some people are uneasy. We'll see how it plays out next Saturday.
