10 cities we want to see the UFC at in 2023
By Alec Arritola
Here are the ten cities we want to see the UFC visit in 2023.
With the UFC’s audience growing globally each year, the promotion continues to expand its presence by holding larger events in desirable locations such as Paris and Rio De Janerio. Though the UFC has traveled to many major cities around the world in previous years, there are still many places that would make excellent new venues for future events.
Then, there are also the cities that have experienced a UFC event in the past but have been patiently waiting for president Dana White to return with a great fight card. Here’s a look at some potential future UFC venues and the fighters we might expect to see there.
10. Salvador, Brazil
The capital of Brazil’s northeastern state of Bahia, Salvador, is the fourth most populous city in all of Brazil. It is the home of many esteemed Brazilian MMA fighters, including the legendary Lyoto Machida.
Despite being the fourth most populous city in Brazil with over 3 million residents, the UFC has surprisingly never held an event in Salvador. However, with such a massive fandom in Brazil, there is little doubt that a fight card featuring Brazilian combatants could fill the Itaipava Fonte Nova Arena.
Also known as the Complexo Esportivo Cultural Professor Octávio Mangabeira, the Fonte Nova Arena has hosted notable events such as the 2016 Summer Olympics and the 2014 FIFA World Cup. With a whopping maximum capacity of 48,000, it could be the potential home of one of the most attended UFC events to date.
A fight card featuring Brazilian stars like Charles Oliveira, Deiveson Figueiredo, Amanda Nunes, Glover Teixeira, Rafael dos Anjos, Edson Barboza, Jéssica Andrade, Alex Pereira, Paulo Costa, Gilbert Burns, Vicente Luque, and Johnny Walker would undoubtedly be a massive draw.
The good news is that the UFC is already heading to Brazil in 2023, with UFC 283 scheduled to take place on Jan. 21 at the Jeunesse Arena in Rio de Janeiro. It will be the UFC’s first-ever tetralogy fight, where Deiveson Figueiredo will meet reigning flyweight champion Brandon Moreno for the fourth time. Other bouts with Brazillian fighters slated for UFC 283 include Brad Tavares vs. Gregory Rodrigues, Maurício Rua vs. Ihor Potieria, and Paul Craig vs. Johnny Walker.