If the UFC president likes candy, then what do you welcome him with upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi? Candy. A lot of it.
Dana White touched down in the capital early on Wednesday ahead of this month's Fight Island, with the blockbuster UFC 251 kicking things off in a few days' time.
However, White will have to wait to see in person how Yas Island has been transformed for the inaugural four-event series - Flash Forum, the octagon on Yas Beach - given the rigorous Covid-19 protocols put in place by organisers.
White took yet another Covid-19 test soon after he landed, and will now quarantine for 24 hours before he gets to have a real look around. Yet the American didn’t seem too downhearted, describing his room at the W Abu Dhabi – Yas Island as “incredible”.
And what’s more, a pretty sizeable candy station has been built personally for him. Well, if Fight Island was your idea, then you’re most probably entitled to some perks.
Meanwhile, White gave some insight into how the revised headline bout at UFC 251 came about in a matter of days. After challenger Gilbert Burns tested positive for Covid-19 on Friday and thus withdrew from his welterweight title clash with champion Kamaru Usman, the promotion quickly booked Jorge Masvidal – giving an already stellar card another significant boost.
Speaking to TMZ before leaving for Abu Dhabi, White denied he had even considered anyone else for a replacement, saying: “We were always talking to Masvidal. There was never a situation during the negotiations, if you will, that we didn’t think that Masvidal was going to take the fight.
“It was brilliant of Masvidal to slide in after Gilbert Burns tested positive. Gilbert Burns is the No 1-ranked guy in the world. Great fight, it fell out. The fight the people want to see, the people’s fight, is this fight. It was absolutely brilliant of Masvidal to slide into this slot and take the fight.”
Asked if the "BMF" belt that Masvidal captured against Nate Diaz last November is up for grabs on Sunday, White added: "It is not on the line. Usman wants it to be on the line so bad; he will not stop texting me saying 'I don't understand why this belt isn't on the line. This guy's running around saying he's the 'BMF' champ. I want to squash it all. He's not going to win my title, and I'm going take his 'BMF' belt.'
“Believe me, Usman has not stopped terrorising me about this. That was like a one-and-done, the ‘BMF’ title.”
Porsche Taycan Turbo specs
Engine: Two permanent-magnet synchronous AC motors
Transmission: two-speed
Power: 671hp
Torque: 1050Nm
Range: 450km
Price: Dh601,800
On sale: now
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
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Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Civil%20War
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Price, base / as tested From Dh173,775 (base model)
Engine 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo, AWD
Power 249hp at 5,500rpm
Torque 365Nm at 1,300-4,500rpm
Gearbox Nine-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined 7.9L/100km
THURSDAY'S FIXTURES
4pm Maratha Arabians v Northern Warriors
6.15pm Deccan Gladiators v Pune Devils
8.30pm Delhi Bulls v Bangla Tigers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
UAE v Gibraltar
What: International friendly
When: 7pm kick off
Where: Rugby Park, Dubai Sports City
Admission: Free
Online: The match will be broadcast live on Dubai Exiles’ Facebook page
UAE squad: Lucas Waddington (Dubai Exiles), Gio Fourie (Exiles), Craig Nutt (Abu Dhabi Harlequins), Phil Brady (Harlequins), Daniel Perry (Dubai Hurricanes), Esekaia Dranibota (Harlequins), Matt Mills (Exiles), Jaen Botes (Exiles), Kristian Stinson (Exiles), Murray Reason (Abu Dhabi Saracens), Dave Knight (Hurricanes), Ross Samson (Jebel Ali Dragons), DuRandt Gerber (Exiles), Saki Naisau (Dragons), Andrew Powell (Hurricanes), Emosi Vacanau (Harlequins), Niko Volavola (Dragons), Matt Richards (Dragons), Luke Stevenson (Harlequins), Josh Ives (Dubai Sports City Eagles), Sean Stevens (Saracens), Thinus Steyn (Exiles)
More coverage from the Future Forum
House-hunting
Top 10 locations for inquiries from US house hunters, according to Rightmove
- Edinburgh, Scotland
- Westminster, London
- Camden, London
- Glasgow, Scotland
- Islington, London
- Kensington and Chelsea, London
- Highlands, Scotland
- Argyll and Bute, Scotland
- Fife, Scotland
- Tower Hamlets, London
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – FINAL RECKONING
Director: Christopher McQuarrie
Starring: Tom Cruise, Hayley Atwell, Simon Pegg
Rating: 4/5
FROM%20THE%20ASHES
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More from Rashmee Roshan Lall
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
Available: Now
Scorecard
Scotland 220
K Coetzer 95, J Siddique 3-49, R Mustafa 3-35
UAE 224-3 in 43,5 overs
C Suri 67, B Hameed 63 not out
THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
Biog
Mr Kandhari is legally authorised to conduct marriages in the gurdwara
He has officiated weddings of Sikhs and people of different faiths from Malaysia, Sri Lanka, Russia, the US and Canada
Father of two sons, grandfather of six
Plays golf once a week
Enjoys trying new holiday destinations with his wife and family
Walks for an hour every morning
Completed a Bachelor of Commerce degree in Loyola College, Chennai, India
2019 is a milestone because he completes 50 years in business
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
MATCH INFO
France 3
Umtiti (8'), Griezmann (29' pen), Dembele (63')
Italy 1
Bonucci (36')
Directed by: Craig Gillespie
Starring: Emma Stone, Emma Thompson, Joel Fry
4/5
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
A%20QUIET%20PLACE
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How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
2289 – Dh10
2252 – Dh 50
6025 – Dh20
6027 – Dh 100
6026 – Dh 200
