In 2010, Flash Entertainment—a state-owned live entertainment company based in Abu Dhabi—purchased a 10% stake in the UFC, kickstarting a long-term partnership between the world’s leading MMA organization and the UAE government.
Much has changed in the 14 years that followed. The UFC entered a formal partnership with Abu Dhabi’s Department of Culture and Tourism, established a “Fight Island” safe zone during the height of a global pandemic, and even helped the Emirate promote a piece of shady AI technology that was implicated in a spyware scandal.
So how exactly did Abu Dhabi buy the UFC’s undying loyalty? Tune into the latest edition of the Sports Politika podcast to find out.
Sports Politika is a media platform focusing on intersection of sports, power and politics. Support independent journalism by upgrading to a paid subscription ( or gift a subscription if you already have your own). We would appreciate if you could also like the post and let us know what you think in the comment section below.
