The Ultimate Fighting Championship’s new signature gym in Dubai is just the start of the company’s push into the UAE market, according to co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta.
The mixed martial arts facility, which opens its doors on Sunday, is the first UFC gym to launch in the Middle East, with the aim of
And Fertitta – who looked on as His Highness Sheikh Maktoum bin Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Deputy Ruler of Dubai, und-ertook ribbon-cutting duties on Monday – insists there is much more to come, including the target of adding to two previous UFC events held in Abu Dhabi in 2010 and 2014.
“I don’t even think we’ve scratched the surface,” Fertitta said when asked about the UFC’s reach in the Middle East. “I think there are a lot of other markets that we could be successful in.
“We’ve got a great relationship here with there being a UFC gym now and there’s a lot of interest in people wanting this gym and this product. We felt like Dubai was the right place to start because of all the commercial activity and everything it represents for the region.
“But we’ve also talked about bringing events and gyms to some of the other regions as well.”
The company is hoping to use the gym as a platform to draw in a new audience as the UFC continues to grow at a rapid rate. But Fertitta says it won’t be too long before the promotion returns to the UAE.
“We will definitely come back here,” he added. “It won’t be in 2016 but it will more than likely be in 2017 by the time we get back here but it is definitely in our plans.”
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu is one of the most participated sports in the country and is one of the fundamental aspects of MMA. While the gym does cater to all aspects of MMA, there will be the opportunity to try out the discipline, with trainers on hand to guide you all the way through to the black belt stage.
“Obviously BJJ has a long history here but I still think that there are a lot of people who feel intimidated by going to a BJJ dojo,” Fertitta said.
“This will give people the chance to see if they like it and try it out.
“If they then want to go all the way and get their black belt then we’ll have certified trainers here that will be able to handle that.”
