Mixed Martial Arts organisation UFC has announced its first European event of 2024, UFC 304, taking place on July 27 at Manchester’s Co-op Live Arena.
UFC 304 is also the first-ever sporting event announced for Co-op Live, the UK’s largest indoor arena, which is due to make its belated public debut next Tuesday, April 30, following some high-profile teething troubles with the power supply ahead of its planned opening this week.
The prelims will begin at 11pm BST (6pm ET in the US) followed by the main card airing at 3am BST (10pm ET in the US, the traditional start time for a UFC Pay Per View).
UFC 304 tickets go on sale from 10:00am BST on Friday, June 7 via Ticketmaster. UFC Fight Club members will have the opportunity to purchase tickets early on Wednesday, June 5, at 9:00am BST. Those who registered their interest to the event will gain access to a special pre-sale which starts Thursday, June 6, at 10:00am BST.
“I’m so excited to get back to Manchester. And no better time than this summer,” said UFC president and CEO Dana White. “We have two champions from the UK and fans have been dying for a UFC PPV event. So here we come to the largest indoor arena in the UK. See you soon, England.”
Co-op Live executive director and general manager Gary Roden added: “With the north of England home to so many of the world’s leading fighters, we are primed and ready for UFC and its knowledgeable, passionate fanbase. Offering a state-of-the-art platform for globally broadcast events, Co-op Live is extremely proud to welcome entertainment of this scale and caliber as the future home of combat sports in the UK.”
The UK has previously played host to some of the most memorable Octagon moments in UFC history, including Michael Bisping’s spectacular defeat of the legendary Anderson “The Spider” Silva in February 2016. UK fans also watched as Leon Edwards successfully defended his title in front of a home crowd last year at UFC 286, cementing his legacy as one of the UK MMA greats.
UK MMA is currently experiencing something of a golden era, with stars such as welterweight champion Leon Edwards, interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall, and local favourites including Paddy Pimblett, Molly McCann, Muhammad Mokaev, Michael Page, and Arnold Allen, with more rising through the ranks.
VIP Experience packages will also be available soon via On Location, UFC’s Official VIP Experience Provider, with packages offering premium seating, VIP access to weigh-ins, all-inclusive hospitality, meet-and-greets with UFC athletes and more.
