A trio of international dates are being targeted by the UFC later this year, including its debut in the South American nation of Uruguay.
As expected, the UFC is continuing its expansion in South America, and Uruguay will be the next nation to have the MMA powerhouse debut. According to a report by MMA Fighting, the promotion will visit Montevideo, Uruguay on August 10, 2019 — representing the third nation outside of Brazil to host the UFC since Endeavor (formerly WME-IMG) purchased the promotion from Zuffa in 2016.
While Brazil has long been a hotbed of MMA action, under Endeavor’s leadership, the UFC has made stops in Argentina and Chile. Last year, speaking to reporters including Cageside Press back stage at UFC Moncton, UFC Vice President of Content and International David Shaw listed Uruguay as a likely target for 2019.
His statement proved accurate. The Montevideo card, expected to be a Fight Night event, is one of three international bouts revealed by the MMA Fighting report. The promotion will also return to Abu Dhabi in September, with what is expected to be a PPV card. Taking place September 7, the event has a possible headliner waiting as lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov has openly discussed making his return in the UAE capital. While nothing is set in stone, Nurmagomedov has said “we are working on this.”
The plan, obviously, would be to pair Nurmagomedov up with interim champ Dustin Poirier for a title unification bout.
It also appears the organization will return to Sao Paulo, Brazil once again in November. Expected to be the finial Brazilian stop of 2019, the Fight Night card will reportedly take place on November 16 at the Ibirapuera Gymnasium. The Sao Paulo card has become an annual UFC tradition.
