UFC’s International Fight Week Returns To Las Vegas In September
By Cassandra Counsineau of LVSportsBiz.com
Back in the pre-pandemic good old days, Las Vegas-based UFC used to hold International Fight Week when fans would meet UFC stars and get autographs. It was kind of a fanfest for the MMA promotion that gave UFC fans a close look at star fighters like the Ronda Rouseys and Georges St. Pierres.
Well, UFC is getting back on track with its signature events.
Coming off of its biggest fight of the year featuring the embattled Conor McGregor at UFC 264 at T-Mobile Arena, UFC announced International Fight Week will return to Las Vegas from Sept. 21-25.
The weeklong festivities will include the 2020 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony and is anchored by UFC 266 featuring two championship fights. It’s headlined by featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski vs. Brian Ortega.
The co-main event also features the dominant women’s flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko taking on top contender Lauren Murphy. Nick Diaz returns from a six-year layoff to face Robbie Lawler in a rematch between two longtime fan favorites.
Las Vegas is the UFC’s hometown. This is where our headquarters are, this is where we are from and we’re proud to be contributing to the local economy. The first annual International Fight Week will be awesome, the fans are going to have a fight week experience better than anything they’ve ever had before, and each year we are going to build this thing to the point where every fan on the planet knows they have to come to Vegas for this July fight week at least once in their lives. — UFC prez/bossman Dana White
In all of its eight recent years, UFC typically schedules the event during the first week of July. But the coronavirus pandemic prompted fight week to be nixed in 2020 and delayed this year.
Before the pandemic shut down major events around the country, a magnitude 7.1 earthquake violently shook the stage at the Palms Hotel during the UFC Hall of Fame induction ceremony just as inductee Rashad Evans was giving his speech.
“Oh, it’s an earthquake. Oh man, I feel it. Whoa. Earthquake, baby. That’s me bringing the heat,” he said while managing to stay composed in the moment.
The promotion based off the 215 beltway in the southwest valley says its “free, two-day UFC Fan Experience will feature meet and greets, autograph sessions, and partner activations that provide unprecedented access to UFC champions, top-ranked contenders, Hall of Famers, and other UFC personalities.”
Presale for UFC 266 at T-Mobile Arena begins Thursday, July 29.
