UFC 251 on Fight Island: Full card, when to watch and how to stream

July 11 has always been a special date in UFC lore, and the company will have a chance to prove that fact once more in 2020 when the action in the Octagon heads to “Fight Island.”

On June 10, the promotion announced that they would be heading to Abu Dhabi come July, with a welterweight title fight between champion Kamaru Usman and up-and-coming challenger Gilbert Burns taking center stage in the main event.

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That’s not all for fight fans to look forward to, however, as UFC 251 holds not one, not two, but three title fights on the main card. Add in a battle between the top two ranked fighters in the women’s strawweight division, and the event is shaping up to be arguably the most stacked UFC card in 2020.

For those interested in watching UFC 251, here are some answers to some key questions you may have before the event rolls around this summer:

When is UFC 251?

UFC 251 will air live on Saturday, July 11. The early preliminary fights will take place from 6 p.m. EST to 8 p.m. EST on UFC Fight Pass, ESPN and ESPN+, according to the UFC. The main prelims will air from 8 p.m. EST to 10 p.m. EST on ESPN and ESPN+, and the main card will stream exclusively on ESPN+ at 10 p.m. EST.

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The event will be taking place early for those watching locally, with the main card starting at 6 pm in Abu Dhabi.

Where is UFC 251?

UFC 251 will take place on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, the site for a total of four UFC events throughout the month of July (Saturday, July 11; Wednesday, July 15; Saturday, July 18; Saturday, July 25).

What fights are on the card?

Main event for the Welterweight Championship*: Kamaru Usman (C) vs. Jorge Masvidal (3)

*(Gilbert Burns, the initial challenger for Usman’s title, was forced out of the UFC 251 main event due to a positive COVID-19 test, but was replaced by Jorge Masvidal on six days’ notice.)

Co-main event for the Featherweight Championship: Alexander Volkanovski (C) vs. Max Holloway (1)

Bantamweight Championship: Petr Yan (3) vs. Jose Aldo (13)

Women’s strawweight bout: Jessica Andrade (1) vs. Rose Namajunas (2)

Women’s flyweight bout: Amanda Ribas (15) vs. Paige VanZant

The event kicks off a high-pace stretch for the UFC, with numerous events for fans to mentally prepare for as more sports begin to return to the fray.

Just one month after UFC 251, heavyweight champion Stipe Miocic will defend his title against Daniel Cormier on August 15, finishing off the duo’s trilogy in the main event of UFC 252.

The company is also reportedly planning for a lightweight title fight between champion Khabib Nurmagomedov and interim champion Justin Gaethje at UFC 253 in September.

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