UFC returning to New Zealand in event with possible Championship fight as headliner

UFC 243 Whittaker v Adesanya
UFC 243 Whittaker v Adesanya

UFC has announced that a UFC Fight Night event is planned for their return to New Zealand in the new year for the first time since their last event there in mid-2017.

2020 will begin big for fans of the fight promotion in New Zealand, as UFC is expected to head to Auckland in late-February. UFC officials confirmed this with New Zealand Herald.


UFC headling back to New Zealand

The event will be the third time that UFC has headed to New Zealand. Previously, UFC 43 took place in Auckland in June 2014, while their last event there saw UFC Fight Night 110, with a headlining fight of Mark Hunt vs Derrick Lewis.

There are several possible headliners in UFC for the event. Mark Hunt may have left, but the number of stand-out performers from New Zealand and that general area is aplenty.

The current UFC Middleweight Champion Israel Adesanya trained in New Zealand with Dan Hooker and Kai Kara-France. They are not the only kiwi fighters either. Other than them, former Middleweight Champion Robert Whittaker is also from Australia.

With so many options, and not mention UFC often taking on local talent for the undercards, the card might be a stacked one. If Israel Adesanya is the one headlining the card, then a Championship fight might also be the main event. With Israel Adesanya looking for a fight with Paulo Costa as well, there might be a lot in the works ahead of the card.


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