‘Fight Island’ update: Dana White plans beachfront octagon, shows ‘up and running by June’

UFC president Dana White maintains his promise that “Fight Island” is a real thing.

UFC president Dana White maintains “Fight Island” is a real thing, and the venue will be prepared to host events inside two months.

Although the location is still unknown, White insists the private island he’s secured in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic will soon be outfitted to host UFC cards.

The location is set up primarily for international athletes under UFC contract, but White said it will be globally accessible and fighters from the U.S. could be brought in, as well. The next several UFC events are targeted for May 9, May 13, May 16 and May 23 in Jacksonville, Fla. White said “Fight Island” will follow.

“‘Fight Island’ should be up and running by June, so I should be able to do international events by June,” White told ESPN on Instagram Live. “It’s all being done as we speak. We’ll knock out – from May 9 to May 23 – we’ll knock out four shows. We’ll knock out four shows, then in June we can start doing international stuff too, on the island.”

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After White first put the idea of “Fight Island” into the public a few weeks ago, speculation has run rampant on what the set up could look like. White said the island will be extremely fighter friendly in terms of resources, and although the cards will be closed to the public, it appears the atmosphere will be quite unique.

“There will be an octagon on the beach,” White said. “There’s going to be training facilities there for people, there are hotels on the whole island is going to be built, all the infrastructure is going to be build for UFC and having fights there.”

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