Where Should the UFC Go for Numbered Events in 2023?
The UFC has made a habit of traveling the world for its events, with the UFC Fight Nights and the essential Numbered events frequently heading out to the other side of the world.
As it stands, the UFC is booked through to January 21 next year, with UFC 280 going to the UAE, UFC 281 popping across the country to New York, UFC 282 coming home to Las Vegas, and UFC 283 going down to Rio de Janeiro.
It’s quite the slate, but where else should the UFC look to venture to in 2023? Here’re some old favorites and some debut cities for the massive MMA company to showcase a weekend of heavy-hitting action.
Return to the Wolverine State
The UFC has been to Michigan on three occasions. UFC 9, when Motor City Madness saw 10,000 people cram Cobo Arena in the early years of the company, in 1996. A whole 14 years later, Palace of Auburn Hills played host to UFC 123, which saw Rampage Jackson edge out Lyoto Machida.
Most recently, in 2017, UFC 218 came back to Detroit, pitting Max Holloway against José Aldo in a rematch that saw both fighters striking away until the Hawaiian ultimately finished, who was considered the greatest featherweight of all time.
The Little Caesars Arena is a fantastic, modern venue, and the Michigan crowd that piles it never disappoints. Since UFC 218, the state has transformed its entertainment space to be one of the first ones open in online sportsbooks and casinos. Now the experts rank big-name brands – their listings for Michigan can be seen here – among the top online casino options.
See the mighty heavyweights fight in their old battlegrounds
Champion Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane are larger-than-life figures in the UFC, who have captivated their fans with their back story, which built up to a superb to-and-fro rumble at UFC 270 in Anaheim.
Gane is a French national from the eastern suburbs of Paris; while Ngannou moved to Paris from Cameroon in his mid-20s. The two briefly trained together but clashed in a fight that Gane could have won if he hadn´t ended up on the mat late in the fifth.
Should Ngannou keep his belt and Gane be next in line – as they stand now – they could get to France and rematch in the capital. The Accor Arena with its 16,000-seat capacity for boxing events looks ideal and would kick up a huge following in the European nation.
Go down under or further for either pound-for-pound chart topper
In the pound-for-pound UFC rankings for the men, featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski presently resides over the standings. Just behind is the “Last Stylebender”, Israel Adesanya. Unlikely to meet in the octagon, either could headline in their geographically-close home nations.
Adesanya was born in Nigeria, but settled in New Zealand at 10 years old. Auckland has hosted three UFC Fight Nights to date, the most recent one in February 2020. Australia, Volkanovski’s home, has hosted another three UFC Numbered events, in 2019, 2011, and 2010.
Seeing the fanfare that’d emerge around Adesanya returning to New Zealand, the smaller island would be the most appealing showcasing a new location.
We’ll just have to wait and see if the UFC will grace any of these cities with a headline event, and if any of its biggest and most appealing stars will take part.
