Opinion: 5 Cities That Need a Major MMA Event in 2025

Editor’s note: The views and opinions expressed below are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Sherdog.com, its affiliates and sponsors or its parent company, Evolve Media.

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Mixed martial arts remains one of the fastest-growing sports in the world, and citizens around the globe are clamoring for a major promotion to bring an event to their cities. Las Vegas, New York and most recently Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, have been spoiled with big fights, but several locales deserve their shot to leave an impression on the game.

Here are five cities that should host a major MMA promotion in 2025:

Guadalajara, Mexico

What would the combat sports world be without Mexico? The country has produced countless warriors, and the fans are some of the most knowledgeable, loyal and outspoken. The Ultimate Fighting Championship visited Mexico City in February with UFC Fight Night 237, but there’s another Mexican fight town just as rich in history as the capitol: Guadalajara. Home of former UFC women’s flyweight champion Alexa Grasso, Guadalajara has unfairly been in Mexico City’s shadow for decades, but it’s time that it was brought into the spotlight. Arena Guadalajara is the country’s second-largest facility of its kind and can seat 20,000 fans. If the UFC can’t book that, there’s always Arena V.F.G., which can house up to 15,000 fans. With the growing surge of talent coming out of Mexico, the UFC can’t afford to not capitalize on the fanbase. Mexico City is a fantastic fight town, but there’s no reason why Guadalajara can’t be in the mix for a major card.

Lagos, Nigeria

The UFC dropped the ball when it did not host an event in Africa with three African champions at once. Although Israel Adesanya, Kamaru Usman and Francis Ngannou no longer hold UFC titles, there’s no reason to ignore the motherland as a necessary destination. Lagos is a beautiful city with passionate people hungry to be taken seriously on the world stage. Many top African fighters hail from Nigeria, and the country would take the opportunity seriously. Lagos Arena, set to house 12,000, is expected to be finished around late 2025, so next year may be a stretch, but there’s no time like the present to set the groundwork for a trip to Africa.

Arlington, Texas

AT&T Stadium in Arlington is the home of the Dallas Cowboys. Still, the $1.15 billion coliseum has hosted some of the biggest boxing matches in recent years, including Jake Paul’s showdown with Mike Tyson in November. UFC CEO Dana White was in talks with Jerry Jones about hosting the potential fight between Conor McGregor and Michael Chandler, but we know what happened there. Only a high-profile major event can receive the keys to Jerry World, but I’m sure the UFC could cook something up to hold down the fort for the night. While the athletic commission in Texas has made some questionable decisions in the past, everything is bigger in Texas, and a major MMA event would be massive in the Lone Star State.

Rome, Italy

MMA culture takes so much from the ancient Coliseum bouts of ancient Rome and Greece, and it would be a wonderful tribute to the history of combat to have an event there. Cage Warriors Fighting Championship has succeeded in Rome, and the Professional Fighters League or UFC could magnify that footprint. Bringing a card to Italy would require the proper collection of talent—fighters who are larger than life and will bring chaos and violence that would rival the gladiators. I’d pay good money to see that.

Manilla, Philippines

The third and final bout between heavyweight legends Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazier was one of the most violent and hellacious fights in the history of combat sports. The 14-round war still grips fans to this day, and 2025 marks the 50-year history of the “Thrilla in Manilla.” There’s no reason why MMA can’t honor the historic night with a card of its own. The Philippines has produced a legacy of phenomenal fighters like Manny Pacquiao, Pancho Villa and Flash Elorde, and it’s high time that MMA looks to produce a legacy in the country, as well. Fight fans love nostalgia, and there’s nothing better than honoring the past with a present card that will evoke the spirit from that unforgettable night.