2020 has seen the world go through something many of us would have never thought would have been possible. A global pandemic shut the world down. Despite the obvious obstacles, the UFC has still had a fantastic year full of incredible fights.
UFC President Dana White would be the first to say that pulling off this year has not been easy. They had to secure Fight Island for international UFC Fights. They have also had to take over two small hotels next to their APEX to house fighters in Las Vegas.
After last night’s Contender Series, White said that the UFC has something big in the works that would make the promotion completely self-sufficient moving forward.
A UFC Fighter Hotel
White announced last night that the UFC has secured an additional 10 acres of land that is by their APEX facility. The plan is to build a new hotel that will specifically meet the needs of the promotion. The new hotel is being built with a fighter first mentality much like the APEX was built.
“It will be more designed for fighters,†White said. “Just like the Apex was designed for fighting and putting on special events, this place would be designed exactly for what our needs are in a hotel.â€
White said that the UFC‘s plan is to have the hotel completed sometime next year. While it was specifically asked, this is a move that goes beyond the pandemic. Even if the world returns to normal, this hotel is expected to be huge for fighters.
The UFC now will have it’s own place that fighters can come and stay. The UFC PI was designed so fighters could come train, rehabilitate, and get nutritional assistance. However, it was likely on the fighters to figure out arrangements when it came to staying somewhere.
Now, the UFC will not have to book up hotels in Vegas for their fighters. This will save them a lot of money down the road, and White said he expects the hotel to pay for itself very quickly. The UFC‘s Vegas home will now have just about anything a fighter would need.