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Dana White rules out moving UFC 333 from Abu Dhabi despite Saudi attacks

Asked about contingency plans for the October 24 card, UFC's CEO said the promotion is not reconsidering Abu Dhabi, even as Houthi missile and drone strikes have repeatedly hit Riyadh's main airport in neighboring Saudi Arabia this month.

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A bald Dana White in a black polo shirt speaking at a UFC Freedom 250 podium on the Lincoln Memorial steps at night, flanked by two files of military honor guard, with the lit Lincoln statue visible behind him.
Dana White speaks at the UFC Freedom 250 press conference at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C., on June 12, 2026. Archive file image of White speaking publicly; not from the October 2026 press conference discussed in this story. Display crop and resize applied.Molly Riley / The White House · Public domain

UFC is not considering moving UFC 333 out of Abu Dhabi, Dana White said when a reporter asked whether the promotion had a backup plan given recent attacks elsewhere in the Gulf region. A CBS Sports reporter raised the question at the post-fight press conference for the Dana White's Contender Series season 10 finale on October 13, asking directly about contingency plans for the October 24 card. White answered: "Nope. We're going." Pressed on whether UFC had been in contact with Abu Dhabi authorities, he added, "We go," and noted that Power Slap and WWE events are also going ahead in the region this month.

The question followed a string of attacks in Saudi Arabia, not the United Arab Emirates, where UFC 333 will be held. Houthi forces struck Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport with missiles and drones on three consecutive days through October 12, Al Jazeera reported. The attacks killed at least 14 people and wounded hundreds more, and Saudi authorities closed the airport as Etihad Airways, Gulf Air and Delta suspended or delayed flights to the Saudi capital. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed responsibility, saying the group had targeted the airport directly.

Riyadh and Abu Dhabi sit in separate countries roughly 700 miles apart, and Al Jazeera's reporting does not describe any strikes reaching the UAE. White's comments were the first time he has publicly addressed, in this context, whether the unrest next door changes UFC's plans for its next Abu Dhabi show.

What is actually on the card

UFC 333 remains set for Etihad Arena on Yas Island, with two title fights confirmed, according to Sherdog's event listing. Two-time featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski defends his belt against unbeaten contender Movsar Evloev, and bantamweight champion Petr Yan faces former titleholder Merab Dvalishvili in a trilogy bout. Neither UFC nor the cited reporting has announced any change to that lineup, and White's remarks indicate the promotion does not expect one.

The source file

Reporting & references

Follow the original reporting and records behind this article.

  1. MMA SuckaDana White Rules Out Contingency Plans for UFC 333
  2. Al JazeeraHouthi missile attack targets Saudi capital Riyadh for third day in a row
  3. SherdogUFC 333 - Volkanovski vs. Evloev

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