UFC 112 at the Ferrari Theme Park Abu Dhabi
The UFC seems to be eating up the world like a swarm of under-fed locusts. I know some of you out there can envision the Earth being enveloped by a dark cloud that is not-so-slowly devouring everything in its path, while others can see it as a big ray of sunshine brightening up everybody’s day. I could wax poetic about the big nasty corporate super-power ruining the spirit and sole of our treasured sport or we could just get over it and appreciate what Dana and his boys have done for us. Sure, sometimes the dude makes you so angry you feel like lopping his beady little head off with a lumberjack’s axe, but at the same time, I wouldn’t be able to watch MMA from the comfort of my lounge room without him. We certainly wouldn’t have this magazine and no one would be getting paid a thing. It's a bit of a ‘don’t bite the hand that feeds you’ situation I guess.
Anyway, this weekend they roll out the big show in the Middle East at everyone’s favourite desert paradise Abu Dhabi. It will be their first incursion into this territory and they are brining out the big guns: Two world title fights, and a fan-favourite grudge match between Gracie and Hughes is one hell of an opening night. It will be the first ever UFC to be held outdoors and the blood, girls and alcohol will be on full display in the Middle East. It all has something to do with 10 per cent of Zuffa being sold to ‘a few gentleman’ in this part of the world, and the expansion into this territory is looking to go full-steam ahead with Dana mentioning in Sydney that a stand-alone Ultimate Fighter series is hoped to be launched in the United Arab Emirates. Yes, not only are they bulldozing the sport all over the world but probably an entire culture with it.
