The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is reportedly planning to expand its presence across former Soviet countries, with new events potentially taking place beyond Azerbaijan.
As reported by İdman.Biz, citing Championship founder Dmitry Sergeev, who attended UFC 333 in Abu Dhabi on October 24, the world's leading MMA promotion is considering further expansion in the region.
Sergeev shared the information on his Telegram channel after returning from the event in the United Arab Emirates.
"I've just returned from Abu Dhabi, where a fantastic UFC 333 took place over the weekend. And I didn't come back without some rumors," he wrote.
"UFC wants to expand its presence in former Soviet countries, and an event outside Azerbaijan may not be far away."
According to Sergeev, discussions have also taken place regarding the possibility of bringing UFC events back to Russia. However, no concrete details or potential dates have been revealed.
Azerbaijan has already become an important destination for the UFC in the region, having hosted two events in consecutive years.
The promotion made its historic debut in Baku on June 21, 2025, at Baku Crystal Hall, before returning to the Azerbaijani capital on June 27, 2026, for its second tournament, held at the National Gymnastics Arena.
The 2026 event was headlined by Azerbaijani lightweight Rafael Fiziev, who delivered an impressive second-round knockout victory over Mexico's Manuel Torres, stopping his opponent just 15 seconds into the round.
Moreover, in April 2026, UFC officially announced a multi-year partnership with Azerbaijan's Ministry of Youth and Sports and Baku City Circuit, confirming plans to hold annual UFC Fight Night events in Baku through 2028.
The agreement means Azerbaijan is already part of the promotion's long-term international calendar, while Sergeev's latest comments suggest UFC could further expand its activities across the former Soviet region.
Nevertheless, no official announcement has yet been made regarding additional host countries or a possible UFC return to Russia.
