The UFC returns to Abu Dhabi this week, with UFC 267 on Saturday night. Headlined by two title bouts, we give the lowdown on five of the standout fights on the stellar card at Etihad Arena.
Jan Blachowicz (c) v Glover Teixeira (light-heavyweight title)
The powerful Pole returns to the scene of his title triumph last September, when he defeated Dominick Reyes via second-round TKO in Abu Dhabi for the vacant strap. Blachowicz (28-6) has since defended his crown once, in March, when he inflicted middleweight champion Israel Adesanya’s first pro MMA defeat.
In Teixeira, he’s taking on the division’s No 1-ranked challenger, and a long-time title hopeful. The Brazilian (32-7) may be 41 now but, like Blachowicz, he rides a five-fight win streak – with two victories against former title contenders. Still, it’s been seven years since Teixeira last competed for UFC gold.
Blachowicz heads into the match-up as undoubtedly the favourite, as he looks to cement his position as the division’s king in the post Jon Jones era. A five-rounder given the belt is on the line, few will expect this to go the distance considering the respective arsenals.
Petr Yan v Cory Sandhagen (interim bantamweight title)
Initially slated for an immediate chance to reclaim the bantamweight title, Yan must make do for now with contesting the interim strap. Aljamain Sterling’s withdrawal last month through injury was unfortunate – Yan claims it was expected – and so Sandhagen stepped in. Yan (15-2) was enjoying a 10-fight win steak before he was disqualified in March for an intentional illegal knee against Sterling and thus relinquished the title he clinched against Jose Aldo in Abu Dhabi in July last year.
Sandhagen, meanwhile, should not be underestimated: the American (14-3) landed an astonishing flying knee to KO Frankie Edgar in February, only to lose an extremely close split-decision in July to former champ TJ Dillishaw. Has fond Abu Dhabi memories also, when last October he landed an incredible second-round spinning wheel kick and punches TKO against Marlon Moraes. A genuine Fight of the Night contender.
Islam Makhachev v Dan Hooker (lightweight)
One of the night’s most eagerly anticipated bouts pits against one another arguably the promotion’s hottest prospect and a hugely talented title contender. Makhachev (20-1) is being tipped widely as lightweight champion at some point in 2022, no great surprise given he has won his past eight bouts. In fact, his only pro loss arrived five years ago. An elite grappler, the Dagestan native is viewed as heir apparent to teammate and now coach Khabib Nurmagomedov, and comes into the clash on the back of July’s submission win against Thiago Moises. Has competed in Abu Dhabi previously, defeating Davi Ramos in September 2019.
Hooker, though, offers his sternest test to date. The New Zealander (21-10) accepted the bout days after his fine victory against Nasrat Haqparast on September 25, much to his immense credit. Hooker’s striking is supreme, and he will no doubt be looking to avenge his Abu Dhabi loss in January to Michael Chandler.
Li Jingliang v Khamzat Chimaev (welterweight)
There is an argument to say Chimaev’s return - finally - could be the most intriguing subplot of the night. The Chechen-born athlete was perhaps the biggest breakout star of 2020, when he debuted in the UFC at the inaugural Fight Island in Abu Dhabi and then set a record for winning again 10 days later – also in the capital. Chimaev (9-0) won once more, 17 seconds into his Las Vegas bow, before he contracted Covid-19 and his fast-rising career stalled dramatically. At one point, Chimaev publicly suggested retirement.
On Saturday, he faces his first ranked opponent in the promotion, with No 11 contender Li coming off a stunning knockout win against Santiago Ponzinibbio in Abu Dhabi in January. The Chinese star (18-6) will be seeking to break into the top 10 in the welterweight standings, and knows a statement success against the much-hyped Chimaev will see his profile skyrocket.
Magomed Ankalaev v Volkan Oezdemir (light heavyweight)
A potential light-heavyweight blockbuster kicks off the main card. In Ankalaev, the division has one of its most intriguing athletes, even if his defeat on UFC debut to Paul Craig in March 2018 halted some serious momentum. Since, the Russian (15-1) has gone on a tear, winning on his past six outings – including a quick-fire KO of Ion Cutelaba in Abu Dhabi last October. Three of those fights were awarded Performance of the Night bonuses.
Oezdemir, though, represents a hefty challenge. The robust Swiss (17-5) has not competed since losing to hyped debutant Jiri Prochazka in Abu Dhabi, but he is a former title challenger with victories against skilled combatants in the likes of Aleksander Rakic and Ilir Latifi. Previous to those, Oezdemir went up against stud rivals in then-champion Daniel Cormier, Anthony Smith and Dominick Reyes. He has finished 13 of his 17 wins. Fireworks are anticipated.
What is the Supreme Petroleum Council?
The Abu Dhabi Supreme Petroleum Council was established in 1988 and is the highest governing body in Abu Dhabi’s oil and gas industry. The council formulates, oversees and executes the emirate’s petroleum-related policies. It also approves the allocation of capital spending across state-owned Adnoc’s upstream, downstream and midstream operations and functions as the company’s board of directors. The SPC’s mandate is also required for auctioning oil and gas concessions in Abu Dhabi and for awarding blocks to international oil companies. The council is chaired by Sheikh Khalifa, the President and Ruler of Abu Dhabi while Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, Abu Dhabi’s Crown Prince and Deputy Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces, is the vice chairman.
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now
The Travel Diaries of Albert Einstein The Far East, Palestine, and Spain, 1922 – 1923
Editor Ze’ev Rosenkranz
Princeton
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
EPL's youngest
- Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
15 years, 181 days old
- Max Dowman (Arsenal)
15 years, 235 days old
- Jeremy Monga (Leicester)
15 years, 271 days old
- Harvey Elliott (Fulham)
16 years, 30 days old
- Matthew Briggs (Fulham)
16 years, 68 days old
What is a Ponzi scheme?
A fraudulent investment operation where the scammer provides fake reports and generates returns for old investors through money paid by new investors, rather than through ligitimate business activities.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Milestones on the road to union
1970
October 26: Bahrain withdraws from a proposal to create a federation of nine with the seven Trucial States and Qatar.
December: Ahmed Al Suwaidi visits New York to discuss potential UN membership.
1971
March 1: Alex Douglas Hume, Conservative foreign secretary confirms that Britain will leave the Gulf and “strongly supports” the creation of a Union of Arab Emirates.
July 12: Historic meeting at which Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid make a binding agreement to create what will become the UAE.
July 18: It is announced that the UAE will be formed from six emirates, with a proposed constitution signed. RAK is not yet part of the agreement.
August 6: The fifth anniversary of Sheikh Zayed becoming Ruler of Abu Dhabi, with official celebrations deferred until later in the year.
August 15: Bahrain becomes independent.
September 3: Qatar becomes independent.
November 23-25: Meeting with Sheikh Zayed and Sheikh Rashid and senior British officials to fix December 2 as date of creation of the UAE.
November 29: At 5.30pm Iranian forces seize the Greater and Lesser Tunbs by force.
November 30: Despite a power sharing agreement, Tehran takes full control of Abu Musa.
November 31: UK officials visit all six participating Emirates to formally end the Trucial States treaties
December 2: 11am, Dubai. New Supreme Council formally elects Sheikh Zayed as President. Treaty of Friendship signed with the UK. 11.30am. Flag raising ceremony at Union House and Al Manhal Palace in Abu Dhabi witnessed by Sheikh Khalifa, then Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.
December 6: Arab League formally admits the UAE. The first British Ambassador presents his credentials to Sheikh Zayed.
December 9: UAE joins the United Nations.
How to improve Arabic reading in early years
One 45-minute class per week in Standard Arabic is not sufficient
The goal should be for grade 1 and 2 students to become fluent readers
Subjects like technology, social studies, science can be taught in later grades
Grade 1 curricula should include oral instruction in Standard Arabic
First graders must regularly practice individual letters and combinations
Time should be slotted in class to read longer passages in early grades
Improve the appearance of textbooks
Revision of curriculum should be undertaken as per research findings
Conjugations of most common verb forms should be taught
Systematic learning of Standard Arabic grammar
From Zero
Artist: Linkin Park
Label: Warner Records
Number of tracks: 11
Rating: 4/5
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Drishyam 2
Directed by: Jeethu Joseph
Starring: Mohanlal, Meena, Ansiba, Murali Gopy
Rating: 4 stars
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Bharatanatyam
A ancient classical dance from the southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu. Intricate footwork and expressions are used to denote spiritual stories and ideas.
THE BIO
Born: Mukalla, Yemen, 1979
Education: UAE University, Al Ain
Family: Married with two daughters: Asayel, 7, and Sara, 6
Favourite piece of music: Horse Dance by Naseer Shamma
Favourite book: Science and geology
Favourite place to travel to: Washington DC
Best advice you’ve ever been given: If you have a dream, you have to believe it, then you will see it.
Mia Man’s tips for fermentation
- Start with a simple recipe such as yogurt or sauerkraut
- Keep your hands and kitchen tools clean. Sanitize knives, cutting boards, tongs and storage jars with boiling water before you start.
- Mold is bad: the colour pink is a sign of mold. If yogurt turns pink as it ferments, you need to discard it and start again. For kraut, if you remove the top leaves and see any sign of mold, you should discard the batch.
- Always use clean, closed, airtight lids and containers such as mason jars when fermenting yogurt and kraut. Keep the lid closed to prevent insects and contaminants from getting in.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Specs
Engine: Dual-motor all-wheel-drive electric
Range: Up to 610km
Power: 905hp
Torque: 985Nm
Price: From Dh439,000
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Panipat
Director Ashutosh Gowariker
Produced Ashutosh Gowariker, Rohit Shelatkar, Reliance Entertainment
Cast Arjun Kapoor, Sanjay Dutt, Kriti Sanon, Mohnish Behl, Padmini Kolhapure, Zeenat Aman
Rating 3 /5 stars
FA CUP FINAL
Manchester City 6
(D Silva 26', Sterling 38', 81', 87', De Bruyne 61', Jesus 68')
Watford 0
Man of the match: Bernardo Silva (Manchester City)
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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