Dana White may just have cooked again! In what was certainly a big surprise out of nowhere, the head honcho has just revealed some very interesting matchups for UFC Abu Dhabi. Although a couple of fights had already been announced, the full main card which surprisingly includes Nick Diaz has certainly raised many eyebrows.
For those unaware, it was previously revealed that the UFC would be making their much-anticipated return to Abu Dhabi on Saturday 3 August at Etihad Arena. In what will be the second event in the UAE capital in less than a year, we will see top bantamweight talents Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov battle it out for a number #1 contender spot.
MORNIN’
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Now, Dana White has finally revealed the full card for what will be the promotion’s 18th event in Abu Dhabi, dating back to UFC 112: INVINCIBLE in April 2010. Recently, we also received word that Marlon Vera would take on Deiveson Figueiredo on the same card, with many suspecting that it would be made the co-main event, however, lo and behold the UFC had other ideas in store.
Dana White reveals the entire main card for UFC Abu Dhabi
As you may have heard by now, the main card for UFC Abu Dhabi has been revealed. An interesting set of matchups, to say the least, it has completely caught a lot of fans off-guard. For the most part, it hosts a lot of known contenders, along with some upcoming prospects and lastly some familiar legendary faces like Nick Diaz and Tony Ferguson. As such, let’s now take a more in-depth look at some of these matchups.
Notably, the main event for the night between Cory Sandhagen and Umar Nurmagomedov has been set for a long while now. That said, the co-main event of the evening was the first big shock that many received. The one and only Nick Diaz returns in a 5-round fight against #14 ranked Vicente Luque. Aside from the already known Deiveson Figueiredo vs. Chito Vera fight, we will also have Mackenzie Dern vs. Loopy Godinez on the card.
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Lastly, another big surprise sees Tony ‘El Cucuy’ Ferguson make the walk for possibly the final time against Michael Chiesa at 170 lbs. Seeing everything that has just been announced it has understandably blown the socks off of many fans who may feel at a complete loss for words after what they have just witnessed.
Fans react to Nick Diaz and Tony Ferguson making a return at UFC Abu Dhabi
As mentioned previously, the main card announcement for UFC Abu Dhabi has sent the fans all over social media in a bit of a meltdown. Whilst initial reactions were overwhelmingly positive, the comedown from the adrenaline rush after hearing the return of some fan-favorite fighters has left many rather confused and befuddled. By and large, the return of Nick Diaz and Tony Ferguson seems to be a contentious topic among fans.
For one, Nick Diaz will return for the first time since 2021, wherein he suffered a TKO loss at the hands of a retiring Robbie Lawler. Anyone who saw the fight would agree that at 40, Nick’s fighting days are long over. Moreover, to put him in against Vicente Luque, hungry to bounce back after a shock loss to Joaquin Buckley, it is easily a recipe for disaster.
At the same time, Tony Ferguson will possibly call time on his career after his next fight against Michael Chiesa. As such, some fans have questioned why Tony and Nick could not have been set to face each other, seeing that they’re fighting at the same weight class. Instead, fans will have to witness two of their favorite fighters lose to ‘middling contenders’ instead.
What did you make of the recent announcements? Feel free to leave your thoughts in the comments below.
