UFC in Georgia? Dana White Says It ‘Really Makes Sense’
Is the UFC headed to Georgia?!
After spending a significant portion of the last few years running events inside the cozy confines of The APEX in Las Vegas, the Ultimate Fighting Championship is ready to stretch its legs and hit the road.
Following Thursday’s Power Slap 11 card in Riyadh, White was asked about potentially bringing the UFC to Georgia in 2025. While White couldn’t offer any specifics, he essentially confirmed that yes, an event in the transcontinental country — not the state — is in the works.
“I mean, I met some guys the other day who were pushing hard for me to bring a fight to Georgia,” White said at the post-fight press conference. “And could it make any more sense than to go to Georgia right now? No, it really does. So, the answer to your question is yes.”
Located at the intersection of Eastern Europe and West Asia, Georgia has produced some of the UFC’s biggest stars, including reigning bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili and featherweight king Ilia Topuria, though ‘El Matador’ currently calls Spain home.
Other noteworthy names out of Georgia include 15-win veteran Giga Chikadze and three-time Performance of the Night winner Roman Dolidze.
‘The Machine’ takes some credit for MMA’s explosion in Georgia
MMA has exploded in the country and recent years courtesy of rising stars like Dvalishvili who has captured the attention of fight fans with his never-ending gas tank inside the Octagon and his entertaining presence on social media.
“I know some fighters that started MMA because of me, and now they are professional fighters and some organizations’ champions. This means I’m old,” Dvalishvili said with a laugh while speaking with the UFC. “But I’m proud of this because I was part of the reason MMA is popular in my country, in my hometown. MMA in Georgia is only going up, and it will only get better and better.
Dvalishvili also marveled at how quickly MMA has become a fan-favorite sport in his home country.
“They know every fighter in the UFC, who fights who, when they fight, they really know MMA. It’s very, very good. It’s crazy,” he added.
