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SALT LAKE CITY — The top mixed martial arts federation in the world is giving Utah another chance.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship has scheduled UFC Fight Night for Aug. 6 in what would be the first-ever bout in the state of Utah at Vivint Smart Home Arena, the Utah Sports Commission announced Thursday.
Fighters on the card will be announced at a later date, and tickets will be on sale beginning June 24 at Smith Tix and the Vivint Arena box office.
The event will air on Fox Sports 1.
“Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing combat sport in the world and UFC is the home of MMA’s best competitors,” said Utah House Speaker Greg Hughes in a statement. “Utah has produced many elite fighters and Utahns are big fight fans. I know UFC will receive a warm welcome and we can’t wait for Aug. 6.”
Mixed martial arts is the fastest growing combat sport in the world and UFC is the home of MMA’s best competitors. Utah has produced many elite fighters and Utahns are big fight fans. I know UFC will receive a warm welcome and we can’t wait for Aug. 6.
–Utah House speaker Greg Hughes
This is not the first time the organization led by outspoken president Dana White has tried to venture into the Beehive State. In 2010, the organization scheduled a nationally televised fight between Jon Jones and Vladimir Matyushenko when Jones was just starting his ascent through UFC. The bout, which was scheduled for Aug. 1, 2010, at then-EnergySolutions Arena, ultimately fell through and the card was moved to San Diego.
Most reasons for the UFC's rare cancellation note low promotion numbers and ticket sales; scheduling the event on a Sunday in Utah didn’t help in a state that is the headquarters of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. The card was moved to San Diego, where UFC sold a short-notice 8,132 tickets to the 14,500-seat Valley View Casino Center.
When White was asked if UFC would ever return to Utah, he seemed bullish, at best. When asked during a fan Q&A in 2013 if he would ever go back to Utah, White shook his head.
“Nope. I tried to do it once, man, and that was it for me,” he told the fan.
It appears things have changed, though. Vivint Arena announced the date Thursday morning, and MMA fans across the Wasatch Front were immediately interested. The state has produced its share of talent within the organization; UFC light heavyweight and local radio personality Sean O’Connell (17-7-0) is a University of Utah alumnus and fights out of Salt Lake City, and UFC welterweight Court McGee (18-5-0) hails from Ogden and fights out of Orem, for example.
“As the premier sports and entertainment venue in the Intermountain region, Vivint Smart Home Arena is excited to host an event of this magnitude in downtown Salt Lake City and welcomes the athletes and spectators for this August showdown of the Ultimate Fighting Championship,” Larry H. Miller Sports & Entertainment president Steve Sarks said in a statement.
UFC is the second world-recognized event to announce a date in Utah in the past 24 hours. Local MLS team Real Salt Lake announced Wednesday it will host Italian power Inter Milan in an international friendly later this summer.
“We are thrilled to host UFC and have the top MMA athletes in the world finally be competing in Utah, continuing to expand Utah, the state of sport and driving significant economic impact and exposure to the state of Utah,” said Utah Sports Commission president and CEO Jeff Robbins in a statement.
