UFC 251 At Yas Island Features Major UFC Betting Action

• The UFC has announced that Fight Island will be hosted on Yas Island off the coast of the United Arab Emirates.
• UFC 251 will be the premier event on Fight Island, set to take place on July 11.
• UFC 251 will feature three title bouts with Petr Yan (-230 odds) favored over Jose Aldo in the bantamweight division.
• At least three other events are planned on the island—Fight Night events on July 15, 18, and 25.
• The UFC also announced that the marquee event of UFC 252 in August will be a heavyweight title rematch between Daniel Cormier (-130) and Stipe Miocic (+100).

YAS ISLAND, United Arab Emirates – Dana White and the UFC have finally found a suitable location for the long-teased ‘Fight Island’, a private island dedicated solely to hosting MMA fights.

The organization also announced a full fight card for UFC 251.

The role of Fight Island will be filled by Yas Island, off the coast of Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates. Yas Island was chosen because its location will open the door to participation for fighters from other countries.

Abu Dhabi itself is under strict travel restrictions because of the coronavirus pandemic, but the island will be especially isolated for UFC fighters, event staff and other key personnel. The island offers a host of amenities, including hotels, training accommodations, restaurants, and more.

Fight Island will host at least four events — UFC 251 on July 11, then smaller Fight Night cards on July 15, 18, and 25. As the company discussed when Fight Island was announced, the UFC will be testing all athletes and staff when they arrive on the island and instituting strict safety measures.

The UFC 251 fight card will include title fights for the featherweight, welterweight and bantamweight divisions.

UFC 251 Title Fights And Odds

UFC 251 will feature at least nine total fights, but the primary focus will be on those three aforementioned title bouts. These fights will undoubtedly attract most of the attention from UFC bettors.

The first title bout will be the bantamweight title, which is currently unclaimed after the retirement of champion Henry Cejudo.

The belt will now go to the winner of a fight between Petr Yan and former featherweight champion Jose Aldo. Aldo is an all-time great UFC fighter, but he will be fighting one weight class below what he is accustomed to.

In the featherweight division, champion Alexander Volkanovski will defend his belt in a rematch against Max Holloway, the man he defeated to earn it. Volkanovski won the first fight via unanimous decision and is heavily favored to win once more.

In the final title fight of the day, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman will defend his belt against Gilbert Burns. Usman is undefeated during his UFC career, but Burns has been a fast riser lately after winning his last four fights.

Heavyweight Title Rematch In August

One more piece of interesting UFC news was the confirmation of the main event for UFC 252 on August 15, a rematch between Daniel Cormier and Stipe Miocic for the heavyweight title.

The two have already fought in two championship bouts, with Cormier winning via knockout in the first fight and Miocic responding with a TKO victory in the second.

Cormier has announced that he plans to retire after this title fight regardless of the outcome.

This title fight has all the makings of an all-time classic, as legal sportsbooks are giving relatively even odds to both fighters.

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