This event was the fourth and final UFC
Fight Island event that took place on Yas Island, following
UFC 251,
UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige and
UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2, as part of a plan to facilitate the hosting of events involving fighters impacted by U.S.
travel restrictions related to the COVID-19 pandemic. They were previously linked to an event in
Dublin, Ireland that was to take place in August 2020. The event also included fighters that were pulled from other events previously cancelled, as well as the following bouts: • A light heavyweight bout between the former
UFC Light Heavyweight Champion Maurício Rua (also
2005 PRIDE Middleweight Grand Prix Champion) and
Antônio Rogério Nogueira. The pairing previously met at
PRIDE Critical Countdown 2005 and
UFC 190, with Rua winning both fights. The bout was scheduled for the original May 9 date of
UFC 250 that later became
UFC 249, but cancelled due to the relocation of the event. Nogueira announced that he planned to retire after this bout. • A women's bantamweight bout between former title challenger
Bethe Correia and
Pannie Kianzad. This bout was also scheduled for the original May 9 date of UFC 250 and removed for the same reasons as the fight above it. They were scheduled to meet at
UFC Fight Night: Woodley vs. Edwards, but the event was the first of five to be cancelled due to the
COVID-19 pandemic. However, Roberts was forced off the card due to injury and replaced by returning veteran
Jesse Ronson. • A heavyweight bout between
Tom Aspinall and
Jake Collier.
Umar Nurmagomedov was expected to face
Nathaniel Wood in a bantamweight bout at this event. However, he pulled out on July 3 after his uncle,
Abdulmanap Nurmagomedov (also the father of former
UFC Lightweight Champion Khabib Nurmagomedov), died from complications related to COVID-19. He was replaced by promotional newcomer
John Castañeda. A women's strawweight bout between former
Invicta FC and
UFC Women's Strawweight Champion Carla Esparza and
Marina Rodriguez was scheduled for UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. Ige nine days earlier. However, a Rodriguez
cornerman tested positive for COVID-19 and the bout was cancelled. Rodriguez had her test come back negative, but the bout was scrapped due to precautionary reasons. They were rescheduled for this event. Justin Tafa was expected to face
Raphael Pessoa in a heavyweight bout at this event. However, he pulled out on July 15 for unknown reasons and was replaced by
Tanner Boser. At the weigh-ins,
Francisco Trinaldo weighed in at 160 pounds, four pounds over the lightweight non-title fight limit. His bout proceeded at a catchweight and he was fined 30% of his purse, which went to his opponent
Jai Herbert. ==Results==