ABU DHABI: The UFC’s “Fight Island” venue comes into operation on Saturday as UFC 251 takes place in Abu Dhabi, with three title fights and a set of health and safety measures in place due to the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. The card is the first of four to be held at a purpose-built facility which is part of a “safe zone” on Yas Island, east of the city of Abu Dhabi and close to the airport. The zone contains the fight venue and training facilities as well as several hotels and restaurants, and access is strictly controlled. Fighters have been instructed to gather at one of a number of departure points to be tested and quarantined before travelling to the United Arab Emirates, with further tests on-site both before and after the event. With the sporting calendar virtually wiped out by the pandemic, Mixed Martial Arts was one of the first sports in the U.S. to stage events again, with three cards in Jacksonville, Florida in May followed by five at the UFC’s APEX facility in Las Vegas.