It’s just common sense — and usually good business — for a combat sports promoter to book fighters who share a bond with the local fan base when putting together a fight card. Even in the predetermined-outcome world of pro wrestling, AEW recently had Seattle, Wash., native Darby Allin challenging for the TNT Championship in the main event of its WrestleDream pay-per-view emanating from … Seattle. That was not a coincidence at all.

It doesn’t always have to be a hometown thing, however. Hall of Fame boxer Oscar De La Hoya, who hails from Los Angeles, held a few of his title fights in Texas in part because the Mexican-American champion was wildly popular in places with large Hispanic populations. It goes the other way as well, when there’s a natural villain involved: In December 2019, as another polarizing election year involving Donald Trump loomed in the U.S., the MMA promotion Combate Americas — which geared its product toward a Hispanic audience — booked Tito Ortiz in a main event against popular Mexican fighter Alberto Del Rio, at a time when Ortiz was leaning heavily into his anti-Mexico, right-wing politics and full-throated Trump support. While fans who felt culturally connected to De La Hoya would pay good money to see him win, fans who felt a visceral disdain for Ortiz (or just for the segment of society he represented) would pay good money to see him get beat up.

On October 21 of this year, the UFC took that same common-sense, good-business route for its UFC 294 pay-per-view that was held at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. In the Muslim-majority country, in front of an audience with a lot of Muslims, the UFC featured seven Muslim fighters on the six-bout main card, and another handful of Muslim fighters on the free-TV preliminary show.

At the top of the card in the main event was none other than UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev (a Muslim from Russia), defending his title against the reigning UFC featherweight champ, Alexander Volkanovski. In what many considered an upset, Makhachev scored a first-round knockout of Volkanovski, who was ranked ahead of Makhachev in UFC’s official pound-for-pound ranking before the fight.

Prior to the main event, middleweight contender Khamzat Chimaev (a Muslim from Russia) defeated former welterweight champion Kamaru Usman (a Muslim from Nigeria) in a three-round decision. After the fight, Chimaev used his platform to talk about the war going on involving Palestine — not the only time a fighter spoke on it during this show.

In a light heavyweight bout, Magomed Ankalaev (a Muslim from Russia) faced off with Johnny Walker. The fight was ruled a no-contest after Ankalaev landed a knee strike to Walker’s head when he was technically down on the mat, and then a ringside doctor determined Walker shouldn’t continue. After that unpopular decision, a brawl nearly broke out inside the Octagon.

Ikram Aliskerov (a Muslim from Russia) got a first-round TKO against Warlley Alves in a middleweight bout, and Said Nurmagomedov (a Muslim from Russia) was impressive in a first-round submission win over Muin Gafurov (a Muslim from Tajikistan).

On the preliminary card, flyweight Muhammad Mokaev (a Muslim from Russia) submitted Tim Elliott; lightweight Mohammad Yahya (a Muslim from the UAE) lost a decision to Trevor Peek; bantamweight Javid Basharat (a Muslim from Afghanistan) had his fight with Victor Henry ruled a no-contest after an accidental kick below the belt; middleweight Abu Azaitar (a Muslim from Morocco) lost a decision to Sedriques Dumas; featherweight Muhammad Naimov (a Muslim from Tajikistan) beat Nathaniel Wood by decision; and middleweight Shara Magomedov (a Muslim from Russia) beat Bruno Silva by decision.

While attendance figures for the event haven’t been announced, Etihad Arena holds a capacity of approximately 18,000 for an MMA event. Celebrity fans spotted in the building included soccer superstars Zlatan Ibrahimovic and Kevin De Bruyne, and action-film actor Steven Seagal.