Azernews.Az

Laman Ismayilova

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It is planned that "UFC Fight Night" events will be held annually in Baku until 2028, AzerNEWS reports.

UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) has signed a multi-year cooperation agreement with the Ministry of Youth and Sports and the Baku City Circuit (BCC) Operations Company.

According to the agreement, the first event will take place on June 27 at the National Gymnastics Arena.

The UFC's debut event held at the Baku Crystal Hall last June brought together more than 14,000 spectators. The complete sell-out of tickets has shown the great interest in MMA in the region.

At the event in Las Vegas, UFC President and CEO Dana White and Azerbaijan's Minister of Youth and Sports, Farid Gayibov, discussed the continuation of this success and the future development opportunities of the partnership.

"Baku is one of the best cities in the world to visit. The city is incredibly beautiful, and the people who live there are extremely hospitable. When I visited last year, I was amazed. The hospitality was at the highest level. The fans are incredibly enthusiastic about sports, and at the same time, they are well-informed. People come from all over the world, and they absolutely have to experience it themselves," Dana White said.

Minister Farid Gayibov stated that the establishment of a long-term partnership with the UFC is an important step in strengthening Azerbaijan's position as a global sports hub:

"Based on our experience hosting prestigious events such as the first European Games and Formula 1, this partnership will accelerate the development of mixed martial arts and create new opportunities for athletes from Azerbaijan and the region. UFC has already become a significant part of the Baku sports calendar and provides local fighters the chance to perform in front of their home crowd. This partnership once again proves Azerbaijan's potential to host high-level international sports events."

"After the successful debut event of the UFC last year, which was held with a full stadium, we are pleased to expand our partnership and host Fight Night events again in Baku. We expect even higher interest in this year’s event, and the number of visitors coming to the city will increase. We are confident that the event will be more large-scale and of a higher quality, providing participants with an unforgettable experience, "added Maqsud Farzullayev, CEO of the Baku City Circuit Operations Company.

To stay up to date with all the latest news about the event and to get early access to tickets, fans can register at UFC.com/Baku and follow the @UFC page on social media for the latest UFC updates.