UFC establishes long-term home at T-Mobile Arena

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Steve Marcus

An exterior view of the T-Mobile Arena on Wednesday, April 6, 2016.

Fri, Mar 3, 2017 (4:05 p.m.)

The UFC has become an anchor tenant of new T-Mobile Arena, committing to bringing several years of Las Vegas fight cards exclusively to the new entertainment venue.

The UFC and arena owner AEG announced the deal today, a day before UFC 209 at the 20,000-seat arena.

AEG says the agreement is the first time that a global sports brand has been an anchor tenant for a multiuse venue. The arena also is the home of hockey's Vegas Golden Knights, who begin NHL play as an expansion franchise later this year.

The Las Vegas-based UFC will host at least four events every year at the arena under the terms of the deal.

The promotion already staged three pay-per-view shows last year at the arena, which opened in April 2016 on the south end of the Las Vegas Strip.

"We plan to do tons of amazing fights here over the next 100 years," UFC President Dana White said.

A person with knowledge of the deal told The Associated Press that the deal is longer than seven years. The person spoke on condition of anonymity because terms of the deal are not being made public.

T-Mobile Arena also is co-owned by MGM Resorts International, the UFC's longtime partner in fights. The MGM Grand Garden Arena and the Mandalay Bay Events Center have hosted dozens of UFC shows during the promotion's growth over the past two decades.

"But let's be honest, T-Mobile is way better," White said.

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