London, UK- After months of speculation, UFC® today announced its much anticipated return to London, England. The event will take place at The O2 in London on Saturday, March 18, 2017.

Following a hugely successful event in February 2016 - UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: SILVA vs. BISPING, which sold out in just 27 minutes - the organisation has confirmed that it will return to the English capital for a second consecutive year.

No fewer than five UFC events have been hosted in Europe this year, with a sixth set to take place in Belfast, Northern Ireland on November 19. Two of those six events took place in the UK, as UFC’s fan base continues to grow at a phenomenal rate in the region.

UFC FIGHT NIGHT® LONDON will kick start the organisation’s 2017 European events calendar, with more events set to be announced in the coming months.



The growing popularity of mixed martial arts in the UK is something which has undoubtedly been fuelled by the success of athletes such as Michael “The Count” Bisping, a pioneer of MMA in the UK who this year became Britain’s very first UFC world champion.



As the popuarity of the sport in Britian continues to grow, so too does the demand from fans for live events.

James Elliott, Vice President and General Manager of UFC EMEA, said, "The UK, and in particular London, is an incredibly important market for us. Time and time again we return to the UK and we are blown away by the enthusiasm and support from the fans.

“Never has there been a better time for mixed martial arts in this region. The UK has its first ever world champion and we have an extremely exciting pool of talented young British athletes looking to make names for themselves on the international stage. What better way to kick off 2017 than with a return to The O2 in London?”

Tickets for UFC® FIGHT NIGHT LONDON will go on general sale on Friday, January 27 via AXS and Ticketmaster. Fight Club members will get the opportunity to purchase their tickets early on Wednesday, January 25 at 10:00 a.m. and UFC newsletter subscribers on Thursday, January 26 at 10:00 a.m.

In order to avoid disapppointment, fans are encouraged to register interest for the event visit ufc.com/London.

For further information and to sign up for the UFC newsletter, visit UFC.com or follow @UFCEurope on Twitter.