UFC 333 is headed to Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi on Oct. 24, giving the promotion another numbered event in the Middle East later this year.
The date was announced during Saturday’s UFC Fight Night 282 broadcast from Abu Dhabi. No bouts were announced with the event, so the card is still a blank slate even though the location and date are now locked in.
That matters because Abu Dhabi has become one of the UFC’s regular anchor markets. The promotion has continued making two trips there each year, and the October slot has recently been used for numbered cards with major title-fight stakes.
We are coming BACK to Abu Dhabi for #UFC333!
Info Here: https://t.co/aDI413meQv@VisitAbuDhabi | @InAbuDhabi | #InAbuDhabi[ OCT 24 | LIVE on @paramountplus ] pic.twitter.com/LDcY5qc6jL
— UFC (@ufc) July 25, 2026
UFC Keeps Its Abu Dhabi Pipeline Open
Saturday’s UFC Abu Dhabi card was headlined by Magomed Ankalaev vs. Bogdan Guskov, a light heavyweight main event that arrived after Khalil Rountree Jr. withdrew. MiddleEasy covered Guskov saying 15 seconds was enough for him to accept the Ankalaev fight because he saw it as a title-shot opportunity.
The venue also hosted UFC 321, where Tom Aspinall’s heavyweight title defense against Ciryl Gane ended in a no contest after an accidental eye poke. MiddleEasy covered the messy aftermath, including Aspinall’s hospital visit and eye exam details after the fight.
The latest Abu Dhabi event also produced fresh finish material lower on the card, including Muhammad Saidov’s 30-strike stoppage of Dustin Jacoby in his UFC debut.
UFC 333 does not have a main event yet, but the timing gives matchmakers a clear destination for a fall pay-per-view. With the date now public, the next signal will be whether the UFC treats Abu Dhabi as another title-fight stop or builds the card around regional and international names.
