UFC open to holding event at Aloha Stadium

Next year might finally be the time for the UFC to hold an event in Hawaii.

At a press conference promoting UFC 220 today in Las Vegas, UFC President Dana White said that he has changed his mind on holding an outdoor event in Hawaii.

For a long time, the UFC had expressed a desire to hold a mixed martial arts fight on Oahu, but could not settle on a venue.

The 8,000-seat Blaisdell Arena and 10,000-seat Stan Sheriff Center aren’t large enough for the UFC to justify holding a card here.

Aloha Stadium, the only venue big enough on the island, is an outdoor venue. White had previously said he wouldn’t do a fight there, but with the success of current featherweight champion Max Holloway, he has changed his stance.

“We’re working on UFC Hawaii,” White told the crowd today. “I’ve changed my mind. I’ve always been afraid of doing it outside. Plus it rains like every 10 minutes there, but we’re working on it and we really want to do it and obviously with a Hawaiian champion now too it makes a lot of sense. We’re working on it.”

Waianae’s Holloway is coming off two third-round TKO wins over Jose Aldo in 2017 and will likely defend his belt against Frankie Edgar next.

Makaha’s Yancy Medeiros, who has won his last three fights, all in spectacular fashion, is in the main event of a UFC Fight Night card in Austin, Texas, in February against Donald Cerrone.

Kapolei’s Louis Smolka, ranked No. 13 at flyweight, fights Matheus Nicolau at UFC 119 on Saturday. His fight is scheduled for 3 p.m. Hawaii time and will be broadcast on Fox Sports 1.