Dana White’s Team Refuse to Switch Main Event Strategy Despite Fans’ Early Exit in Abu Dhabi, Baku Arenas

It was meant to be a celebration as Dana White and the UFC returned to Abu Dhabi for the first time since October 2024 with a stacked card and a high-profile main event. But by the time Robert Whittaker and Reinier De Ridder stepped into the Octagon, rows of empty seats greeted them.

The Etihad Arena, which had roared earlier in the night, had thinned out. And for some fans, it was déjà vu. Earlier in June, the same thing happened at UFC Baku. Local fighters delivered, and fans didn’t even stay for the main event.

So, with two events seeing crowds exit before the headliner, would the UFC reconsider its matchmaking strategy? At the post-fight press conference in Abu Dhabi, that question was put directly to UFC executive, David Shaw.

His answer was crystal clear as he stated, “No, we’re not.” Shaw doubled down on the promotion’s strategy, explaining that CEO Dana White is “… striving, he’s accomplishing the best fights he can possibly make at that moment in time.”

Shaw also pointed to the long-term view as he continued, “We also, especially when we come back to a location pretty frequently, from some of the conversations we’ve had with our partners, with fans, with broadcast partners, yes you get a lot of energy, get a lot of local hometown support for the regional guys, but local fans want to see the global stars.”

According to him, it’s not just about where a fighter is from; it’s about who they are. And in his view, Robert Whittaker fits the bill perfectly. Shaw even listed off his accolades mid-answer, praising his wins over “Aliskerov, Paulo Costa, Vettori, Kelvin Gastelum, Cannonier, Till, Romero twice, and Jacare.” He followed up with a rhetorical question at the post-fight press conference, asking: “Why would anyone in the world not want to see Robert Whittaker?”

But if you ask the fans who left early, especially in Baku, you might get a very different answer. As mentioned earlier, back in June, Dana White’s UFC made its debut in Azerbaijan with high hopes.

Yet, after local star Rafael Fiziev beat Ignacio Bahamondes in the co-main event, fans poured out of the Baku Crystal Hall in droves. By the time Jamahal Hill and Khalil Rountree Jr. began their light heavyweight main event, it looked more like a sparsely attended Apex card than a blockbuster international debut.

Still, the UFC brass won’t budge, as indicated by David Shaw. Their priority remains global star power over regional placement, even if fans hit the exits early. And with UFC 321 heading back to Abu Dhabi later this year, will history repeat itself once more?

Dana White and the UFC head to Abu Dhabi once more for UFC 321 despite fans exiting the recent event early

While fans continue to debate the UFC’s approach to main event matchmaking, the promotion is doubling down. UFC 321 is officially heading back to Abu Dhabi, and this time, it’s coming with heavyweight thunder.

Tom Aspinall will defend his undisputed title for the first time against Ciryl Gane. The bout will headline UFC 321 at the Etihad Arena, and it’s a matchup fans have been clamoring for. Announced by Dana White himself, the fight is expected to bring fireworks to a region still divided over recent headliner choices.

The card doesn’t stop there. A No. 1 heavyweight contender fight between Jailton Almeida and Alexander Volkov is set, as is a light heavyweight clash between Aleksandar Rakic and Azamat Murzakanov. The message is clear: the UFC may have heard the noise, but they’re not changing course. Instead, they’re doubling down, betting that global star power will eventually win over regional preferences.

Can Aspinall and Gane deliver the kind of global clash that keeps fans in their seats until the final bell? Or will another wave of early exits overshadow a potentially historic night? Let us know what you think in the comments below!