The recent Abu Dhabi Showdown Week demonstrated the UAE capital’s readiness to accelerate global tourism plans after the weeklong fight-and-fitness themed festival attracted fans from 75 countries.
More than 10,000 fans attended Abu Dhabi Showdown Week’s headline UFC 267, with attendees including Mohammad Khalifa Al Mubarak, Chairman, Department of Culture and Tourism — Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), Khaldoon Khalifa Al Mubarak, Managing Director and Group CEO, Mubadala, and senior DCT Abu Dhabi Management, alongside influential regional and international figures.
Abu Dhabi Showdown Week activities engaged fans, with 3,200 taking part in UFC 267 fanzine activities at Yas Mall, with hundreds more engaging in the pre-event news conferences, weigh-ins, fan zone events, meet-and-greet sessions with fighters, and more.
Almost half the number of fans who purchased tickets for a night of top-quality UFC action travelled from overseas as Etihad Arena lived up to its billing as the sport’s international home. And, while the event strengthened Abu Dhabi’s bid to be recognised as a global MMA capital, it underscored the confidence of worldwide visitors in the emirate as a safe and secure destination.
The successful hosting of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week with thousands of international visitors in attendance follows hot on the heels of Abu Dhabi being named the MENA region’s safest city by the Economist Intelligence Unit’s Safe Cites Index.
Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director, Tourism and Marketing, at DCT Abu Dhabi said, “This event is one of a multitude of sports, entertainment and cultural events that were successfully organised in the UAE capital over the past months with stringent health and safety protocols, including four major UFC championships in just seven months. Thanks to close collaboration between government departments and key partners, we successfully organised this second edition of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, with the programme of activations demonstrating our capabilities as the perfect host destination for mega events. Backed by desire and hard work, Abu Dhabi Showdown Week exceeded all of our expectations for visitors, including those from overseas. Fans came from 75 countries for this event, which translates into positives both reputationally and economically for the emirate.”
Ali Hassan Al Shaiba, Executive Director, Tourism and Marketing, at DCT Abu Dhabi said, “This event is one of a wide variety of sports, entertainment and cultural events that were successfully organised at the UAE capital over the past months with health and safety measures, including four major UFC championships in just seven months. Thanks to close collaboration between government departments and key partners, we successfully organised this second edition of Abu Dhabi Showdown Week, with the programme of activations demonstrating our capabilities as the perfect host destination for mega events. Backed by desire and hard work, Abu Dhabi Showdown Week exceeded all of our expectations for visitors, including those from overseas. Fans came from 75 countries for this event, which translates into positives both reputationally and economically for the emirate. ”
Hotels in proximity to UFC 267 venue Etihad Arena and associated Abu Dhabi Showdown Week activities on Yas Island reported 82 per cent occupancy rates, compared with 42 per cent for the same period in 2020, as the festival grabbed global attention.
Numbers were boosted by the 335 UFC delegates and 28 international fighters from 11 countries travelling to Abu Dhabi for the weeklong MMA extravaganza, with UFC stars quick to praise Abu Dhabi as a host of major sporting events and an unrivalled destination.
Brazil’s Glover Teixeira, who produced a fine performance in the main event to win the light heavyweight title, becoming the UFC’s oldest first time champion at 42, said: “Abu Dhabi is a great place to come and fight. They know their combat sports; they know their MMA. The hospitality is truly amazing. It doesn’t get much better than this.”
Lerone Murphy, from England, who won his matchup against Finland’s Makwan Amirkhani to make it three straight wins in Abu Dhabi, said: “I love Abu Dhabi. Abu Dhabi is my home. I love it, the heat, the nice hotels, the hospitality, the people, everything. It’s just the vibe. It’s my vibe.”
Meanwhile, Russia’s Petr Yan secured victory over Corey Sandhagen in the co-main event to win the UFC interim bantamweight title. After which he said: “This is the second time I’ve won the title in Abu Dhabi, it feels like home to me, it’s Yan Island.”
