UFC chief Dana White has confirmed the mixed martial arts promotion’s Fight Island will be located in Abu Dhabi and will host four events next month including UFC 251. White said in April the UFC was close to securing a private island to stage bouts for international fighters unable to enter the United States due to travel restrictions amid the Covid-19 pandemic. He said Yas Island was being prepared to host UFC 251 on 11 July and three Fight Night events – on 15, 18 and 25 July – with all the infrastructure needed being set up at the venue which is less than a mile from the international airport. “Everything will happen on the island,” White said on the UFC’s Facebook page. “Nobody will leave the island. They’re going to have their own private training quarters where people can train themselves. “We really do have an Octagon [for training] out in the sand. The infrastructure’s going to be unbelievable. The people in Abu Dhabi do everything right.” The three championship fights in UFC 251 will be headlined by the welterweight bout between challenger Gilbert Burns and champion Kamaru Usman. A huge safety zone featuring the arena, hotel, training facilities, and dining establishments open only to fighters, coaches, UFC and hotel staff will be enforced on the island to ensure the event complies with public health guidelines. “We came up with the idea of having fights on Fight Island because we needed a destination to hold international events during the global pandemic,” White said. “Abu Dhabi has been an amazing location to hold fights over the past 10 years and it is the perfect place for these events. “The infrastructure we are building will be such a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for the fighters that’s never been done before – from the arena, the private training facility, and the Octagon on the island – it’s going to be an experience that none of us will ever forget.” The UFC postponed several events scheduled between March and May due to the coronavirus outbreak, which has killed over 110,800 people in the US. The promotion resumed action without fans present on 9 May in Florida.