The UFC will proceed to carry common Battle Night time occasions at their Apex facility in Las Vegas coming into 2024.
The Apex grew to become the UFC’s base of operations in North America through the COVID-19 pandemic, and it labored fairly nicely as a last-resort. However now that the pandemic is over and all different sports activities have resumed in arenas world wide, the UFC continues to carry occasions of their comparatively small studio area.
Followers that had hoped to see the UFC hit the highway once more in 2024 can be disenchanted by this information: MMA Junkie’s Nolan King studies the promotion has requested permits from the NSAC for 3 Apex occasions in 4 weeks: on March sixteenth, March 23, and April sixth.
Why does the UFC refuse to return to holding combat nights in smaller markets throughout America and past? Ease and price are two apparent solutions. There’s much less stress on matchmakers to stack playing cards if you don’t have to fret about promoting out arenas in Nebraska. And why put in all the trouble to journey about when followers have seemingly accepted watching fights within the Apex?
There’s one other factor to this, although: the UFC is pushing exhausting to gather website charges each time they create their present to city. At a current convention occasion, TKO COO Mark Shapiro bragged about current offers of this type. They’re getting $16 million from Australia, $20 million from Saudi Arabia, and $25 million from Abu Dhabi.
On stay occasion website charges, he says they’ve achieved a deal for $16M for “a mixture of occasions” in Australia, presumably this consists of WWE’s Elimination Chamber occasion in Perth in February.
$20M for UFC Battle Night time in Saudi Arabia.
$25M for UFC occasion in Abu Dhabi.
WWE will get extra… pic.twitter.com/kGEWdQ2kEi
— Brandon Thurston (@BrandonThurston) December 5, 2023
It’s not simply worldwide occasions, both. Utah pays for UFC to return to Salt Lake Metropolis, and a profitable take care of the Toyota Heart in Houston, Texas ensures the UFC returns there commonly. At this level, we’d be shocked if the UFC rolls into any mid-tier market with out a six or seven determine deal in place.
So be ready for extra Apex occasions. If there’s not a purchaser lined up for a present, that’s in all probability the place it’s gonna be held.
