UFC 304 set for Manchester at new Co-op Live arena

The UFC is returning to the UK this summer for a big pay-per-view event in Manchester, with the city’s brand new arena set to play host to the Octagon for the very first time.

The arena, which has a capacity in excess of 20,000, will host UFC 304, which is expected to feature both British UFC champions, with Tom Aspinall and Leon Edwards both expected to be on the fight card on July 27.

UFC 304 will make history as the first sporting event to take place in the new state-of-the-art arena, which only opened this month, with UFC CEO Dana White stating his anticipation to return to the UK with a big card this summer.

“I’m so excited to get back to Manchester. And no better time than this summer,” he said.

“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!”

The last UFC pay-per-view event to be held in Manchester was UFC 204, where Michael Bisping defended his UFC middleweight title against old rival Dan Henderson at the Manchester Arena. That event played out in the early hours of the morning to accommodate US primetime viewing, and this summer’s event will do the same. The preliminary card for UFC 304 will get underway at 11pm UK time, with the main card getting underway at 3am UK time.

Fans can register their interest in tickets now, with tickets going on sale from 10am on Friday, June 7, via Ticketmaster. UFC Fight Club members will get their usual priority access from Wednesday, June 5 at 9am. Fans who register their interest now get access to a special pre-sale at 10am on Thursday, June 6.