Back to The O2: UFC London confirmed for March 19

The announcement U.K. MMA fans have waited for has finally landed. The UFC is coming to London on March 19.

The date, which had been left conspicuously open on The O2 Arena’s schedule, was widely thought to be earmarked for the UFC’s return to England, but the ever-changing landscape due to the Omicron COVID variant meant that the event wasn’t officially confirmed as early as usual.

However, Wednesday saw the UFC finally make their plans official, with a fight card set for London’s iconic O2 Arena on Saturday, March 19.

https://twitter.com/UFCEurope/status/1483756123505188875

It will mark the first time the UFC has held an event in the U.K. since March 2019, when Jorge Masvidal dramatically silenced the arena when he knocked out Darren Till in the main event.

A subsequent event was scheduled for March 2020, with English welterweight contender Leon Edwards set to face former 170-pound champion Tyron Woodley in the main event, but that show was eventually scratched due to the U.K. going into lockdown.

Now the UFC is ready to return, and their event will form the second part of a spectacular double-header of MMA events in the English capital that weekend.

Friday March 18 will see the U.K.’s top MMA promotion, Cage Warriors, host an event, Cage Warriors 134, at the Indigo at The O2, with a featherweight title rematch between current champion Jordan Vucenic and interim champion Paul Hughes set for the main event slot.

Then the attention will turn to the main O2 Arena hall, as the UFC puts on its comeback event – the first event held outside of the U.S. or Abu Dhabi since they played to an empty arena in Brasilia in March 2020.

Details of the fight card are still to be officially announced, but a host of bouts have been reported for that date, with many featuring U.K.-based fighters.