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The UFC has continued to raise the bar in terms of their live event experience. They have expanded their reach and have hosted events in sold-out arenas and stadiums across the world.
Although the promotion is capable of selling out at stadiums, they have only occasionally held events at stadiums. Most of their events are usually held in enclosed arenas like the Apex Center, T-Mobile Arena, etc. North America is home to some of the best stadiums in the world and could easily be configured to accommodate an MMA event. Obviously, they will need to identify which all fighters would bring in the most attention and which fight should headline the event.
There are many North American stadiums that would be great destinations for the promotion. Whether it’s for an annual event or a one-off, the promotion has a lot to gain. This list will look at five North American stadiums the UFC should target for future events.
#5. UFC New York: JMA Wireless Dome
The JMA Wireless Dome in Syracuse, New York would provide a unique atmosphere for a UFC event. The 50,000+ seat venue is located on the Syracuse University campus and is an iconic college sports stadium.
The promotion hosts multiple events in the state of New York each year. They usually host events at the Barclays Center in Brooklyn in April and Madison Square Garden in November. With that in mind, they could decide to try something different and host a stadium event in April instead.
The JMA Wireless Dome is nicknamed “The Loud House” due to the sound that reflects off it's roof. This is the kind of atmosphere that Dana White would want to have to heighten the fans’ live event experience. The venue could be a more appealing option, especially considering that renovations amounting to approximately $163 million have just been completed.
#4. UFC Miami: LoanDepot Park
The state of Florida has always been significant to the UFC. In April 2021, the promotion hosted its first full-capacity event at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. It brought back a sense of normalcy for fans as the promotion committed to welcoming full-capacity crowds to events again since the pandemic.
Since the promotion has had successful events in the state, a stadium event at LoanDepot Park in Miami, Florida, would be a great choice. The venue serves as the home stadium for the Miami Marlins in Major League Baseball (MLB). It has a retractable roof and seats 37,000+ with standing room, which makes it an appealing location.
If the promotion hosts an event at LoanDepot Park, it would be logical to have someone like Jorge Masvidal or Colby Covington headlining the event. It could also feature a number of American Top Team fighters as the famed MMA gym is based in Miami.
#3. UFC Toronto: Rogers Centre
Rogers Centre in Toronto, Canada, also has a significant part of UFC history. The promotion held their first-ever stadium event at that venue, which set a new attendance record for them at the time.
Canadian legend Georges St-Pierre headlined UFC 129 against Jake Shields and put on a show for his home country. The event was a turning point as it showed that MMA is a viable sport and is becoming more mainstream. 55,724 fans attended the event, making it the highest attended MMA event in North America. The event is also the third highest attended event in the promotion’s history.
Since then, the promotion has returned to Toronto but only hosted events at Scotiabank Arena. It would be fitting if the promotion returned to the Rogers Centre as it has been 11 years since the last one.
#2. UFC Dallas: AT&T Stadium
Hosting an event at AT&T Stadium in Dallas, Texas, would shatter all UFC attendance records. The 100,000+ seat stadium serves as the home for the Dallas Cowboys in the NFL.
The possibilities would be endless for the promotion should they put plans into motion for a massive stadium event. Due to the size of the stadium, the promotion would want to have as close to full capacity as possible. With that in mind, no ordinary fight should headline the event, and so, an event at the AT&T Stadium sould most likely need someone like Conor McGregor to headline the event.
‘The Notorious’ is their biggest star and would garner plenty of interest. Since International Fight Week is usually held in July, perhaps December could be a great month to target an event. It could serve as the final pay-per-view event of the year and allow the promotion to advertise the following year’s plans. They can take advantage of their largest audience and hopefully see interest carry over to the next calendar year.
#1. UFC Vegas: Allegiant Stadium
The UFC has always been a fixture in Las Vegas, Nevada. With their presence in the city, it would be fitting if they hosted one of their biggest events at the Allegiant Stadium.
The stadium seats 65,000 people and could be expandable to well over 70,000. The annual International Fight Week event would be ideal should the promotion host an event at this stadium. Eventually, the UFC should consider hosting their annual event at the Allegiant Stadium instead of the T-Mobile Arena.
The Allegiant Stadium being a much larger venue would add a big fight feel to their International Fight Week pay-per-views. It could also turn into an annual tourist attraction. The added attention could have a massive financial impact on the promotion going forward. International Fight Week and the following pay-per-view event could even have a similar impact like WWE's WrestleMania.
