UFC Fight Night: Fighters arrive in Abu Dhabi for next Fight Island show - in pictures

Next event headlined by bantamweight contest between No 1-ranked Marlon Moraes and fourth-ranked Cory Sandhagen

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The third of five Fight Island events takes place in Abu Dhabi on Saturday, and the fighters landed in the capital on Monday to complete preparations.

UFC Fight Night will be headlined by the bantamweight contest between No 1-ranked Marlon Moraes and fourth-ranked Cory Sandhagen.

Both fighters were photographed arriving at Abu Dhabi Airport before making their way to the W Abu Dhabi - Yas Island hotel, where they will undergo regular Covid-19 testing and a mandatory quarantine period.

Other fighters spotted arriving in the capital include heavyweight Ben Rothwell, who takes on Marcin Tybura. Their fight precedes the co-main event, featuring Edson Barboza and Makwan Amirkhani in a featherweight bout.

Another featherweight fight, featuring Thomas Almeida and Alejandro Perez, opens the main card at Flash Forum, followed by the heavyweight clash between the highly-rated Tom Aspinall and Alan Baudot.

Marcus Perez's middleweight fight against Dricus Du Plessis completes the main event lineup.

The second edition of Fight Island, following July's hugely successful inaugural run, has already staged UFC 253 – where Israel Adesanya defended his middleweight title against Paulo Costa – and a UFC Fight Night show that saw Holly Holm provided a dominant win over Irene Aldana in the bantamweight.

Holm's win carried even greater significance as the first UFC show staged in Abu Dhabi to be headlined by a female fight.

Saturday's UFC Fight Night event will be followed by another Fight Night show on October 18, with the highly-anticipated featherweight clash between No 2-ranked Brian Ortega and fourth-ranked Chan Sung Jung.

UFC 254 will then bring the curtain down on Fight Island on October 24, when unbeaten lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov makes his long-awaited return to the Octagon against interim title-holder Justin Gaethje.