Dubai, UAE, 29 July 2024: STARZPLAY, the leading subscription video on demand (SVOD) service in the MENA region, is thrilled to announce the highly anticipated UFC Fight Night, set to electrify Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on August 3, 2024. The event further cements Abu Dhabi’s positioning as a global hub for world-class sporting events, marking the 18th UFC event hosted in the emirate since UFC 112: INVINCIBLE in April 2010. 

Presented in collaboration with the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), this event highlights Abu Dhabi’s commitment to hosting premier sporting events that attract global audiences and showcase the emirate’s unique appeal as a world-class destination. Through this collaboration, Abu Dhabi continues to solidify its reputation as a premier destination for international sports and entertainment, drawing fans and visitors from around the globe. 

The action-packed night will commence with the prelims at 8 PM, leading into the main card at 11 PM. Fans will be treated to an array of thrilling matchups. Headlining the main card is a highly anticipated bantamweight bout between Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov. Additionally, the light heavyweight clash between Johnny Walker and Magomed Ankalaev promises intense action, while featherweights Alex Caceres and Giga Chikadze are set for a high-energy bout. The prelims will feature rising stars like Shavkat Rakhmonov against Neil Magny in a welterweight showdown and Amanda Ribas taking on Angela Hill in a strawweight bout, ensuring an unforgettable evening of combat sports. 

H.E. Saleh Al Geziry, Director General of Tourism at the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi), expressed his excitement, stating: “We’re excited to bring UFC Fight Night to Abu Dhabi, showcasing the world’s best fighters to fans across the Middle East. Hosting yet another UFC event in less than a year adds to Abu Dhabi’s position as a global hub for sporting events and attracts MMA fans from around the world to the emirate. Our partnership with UFC adds to our proven track record of hosting major global sports competitions and events and solidifies Abu Dhabi as a world capital for combat sport.” 

Emirati fighter Mohammad Yahya, the first Emirati to compete in the UFC, will make his return to the Octagon to take on Brazilian Kaue Fernandes in a lightweight bout. Yahya, who has a professional record of 12-4, will be fighting in front of his home fans and looking to secure his first UFC win. 

UFC CEO Dana White shared his enthusiasm, noting: “I love everything about Abu Dhabi and I’m excited to bring another UFC event there. Abu Dhabi is an amazing destination, especially if you are a fight fan. I tell everyone to fly in early, check out the amazing food and experiences Abu Dhabi has to offer, and then end the trip with incredible fights.” 

Maaz Sheikh, CEO of STARZPLAY, commented: “We are proud to continue our support for UFC and bring this thrilling event to our subscribers. UFC Fight Night in Abu Dhabi is a testament to the city’s dynamic sports culture and its ability to host major international events. Our viewers can look forward to an action-packed night of top-tier MMA action, available live and exclusive on STARZPLAY.” 

STARZPLAY subscribers can catch all the action live, from the prelims to the main card. Don’t miss out on this epic night of fights, exclusively on STARZPLAY. To explore STARZPLAY’s vast library of sports and entertainment content, subscribe today at www.starzplay.com 

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About STARZPLAY

Ranked consistently among the region’s top three subscription video-on-demand services, STARZPLAY (www.starzplay.com) streams an extensive variety of premium content, covering Hollywood movies, exclusive shows, Arabic content, documentaries, same-time-as-the-US series – plus live sports and dedicated kids’ entertainment – to 19 countries across MENA and Pakistan. 

STARZPLAY has thousands of premium titles, including exclusive STARZPLAY Originals such as Kaboos, Harley, Million Dollar Listing UAE, Baghdad Central, Say Yes to the Dress Arabia, STARZ original content such as Power, Outlander, Spartacus and The White Queen as well as STARZPLAY Sports, the dedicated sports package covering football (Italian Serie A and Dutch Eredivisie), cricket, rugby, UFC, boxing, golf, basketball and more. 

STARZPLAY has secured tie-ups with a host of leading, global studios including Lionsgate, MGM, SHOWTIME, Paramount+, Warner Bros, Universal, Discovery and Sony Studios along with regional producers such as UMS, Eagle Films and Falcon. Users can stream the discovery+ library or catch the latest Arabic series and movies from WATCH IT at no extra cost. 

With the STARZPLAY Store, users can buy or rent direct-from-cinema movie releases and watch on their own terms, whilst STARZPLAY Fantasy Sports, the first free-to-play Web 3.0 fantasy sports game in MENA, gives users a new dimension to watching live matches on STARZPLAY Sports with real-time predictions and prizes. 

Until 2022, STARZ (www.starz.com), a Lionsgate company (NYSE: LGF.A, LGF.B) was the lead investor along with media and technology investment firms including SEQ Investors and Delta Partners. In early 2021, STARZPLAY Arabia secured its first independent financing in the region of US$25 million (approx. AED 92 million) from Abu Dhabi based Ruya Partners. In 2022, E-Vision, from e& and ADQ, an Abu Dhabi-based investment and holding company acquired a majority equity stake of circa 57% in the company.    

Reaching over to 2.9 million subscribers, STARZPLAY Arabia allows subscribers to watch its full HD and 4K content via most internet-enabled devices, smart TVs and game consoles, and is widely available on regional IPTV services. Its iOS and Android apps – installed on more than three million devices – also allow downloads for offline playback. 

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