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Simply put, the answer is yes. According to a report from MMA Junkie, a small portion of UFC fans are all set to make their return to the arenas for UFC 257.
What will be the UFC's first pay-per-view of 2021 will feature the return of Conor McGregor for the first time in almost a year and see the live fans return to attendance. With the UFC set to take over the Yas Islands AKA the UFC Fight Island in Abu Dhabi once again, the promotion is also set to welcome back fans to the arenas for the first time since March of 2020.
UFC to bring back fans for the Triple Header Week
UFC will be returning to the Fight Island for a historic Triple Header Week, kick-starting from January 16th, 2021. The first official UFC event of the year is a Fight Night card headlined by former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway and Calvin Kattar. Luckily for the fans in attendance, they are surely guaranteed to witness a banger of a fight.
However, much like UFC's visit to the Fight Island in 2020, the promotion won't be taking over the Fight Forum in Yas Islands. Instead, the UFC will host their events at the Etihad Stadium, which will also be the host to a limited audience in attendance.
The second event on the Triple Header Week is scheduled for January 20th and will feature a welterweight headliner between Michael Chiesa and Neil Magny. The card was initially set to feature the highly awaited main event between Khamzat Chimaev and Leon Edwards, but that fight was called off yet again.
For the final UFC event on the Triple Header Week, Conor McGregor will be returning to action for the first time since his win over Donald Cerrone. The Notorious One will face Dustin Poirier in a highly-anticipated rematch. The fight certainly promises to be a showdown that fans worldwide and in the arena have been waiting to see.
Will UFC fans return for events in the US?
At the moment, it is uncertain what plans the UFC has in store for events set to take place in the US. President Dana White has previously claimed that he would rather host shows with full attendance, instead of selling tickets to a limited audience. There could be a possibility that the promotion will play out their events at the UFC Apex for as long as they can in 2021. The UFC Apex Center housed the UFC for almost the entirety of 2020 and some of the best fights of last year occurred there.
