5 epic spots the UFC should have chosen for Fight Island

UFC's grandiose plans to host a card on a desolate island was met by great intrigue. Unfortunately, the promotion's big reveal turned into a colossal letdown, when it was announced the event would be just another Abu Dhabi card on Yas Island.

We've given it a lot of thought and have come up with five over-the-top, movie-inspired locations that would be far better spots for UFC's hyped showdown.

Shang Tsung’s Island (Mortal Kombat)

When megalomaniac Dana White made his intentions known he was going to stage a UFC card on an island, the first image that popped into the public’s mind was a real-life version of Mortal Kombat.

The parallels are definitely there. White is seen as a soul-sucking antagonist, who views the combatants as means to his end, wants to take over the world, and believes he’s smarter than everyone else.

To White’s dismay, UFC contests still cannot end in the same vicious fatalities from the video game series.

Isla Nublar (Jurassic Park)

Instead of hosting Fight Island at a popular tourist attraction, why not host the world’s most dangerous sport against the backdrop of history's most terrifying creatures?

Jurassic Park was the Disneyland from hell, but the UFC could have also added some intriguing stipulations, such as fighting in the velociraptor paddock, fighting in a sporadically electrical octagon, or seeing if Francis Ngannou can punch some smaller species back into extinction.

If nothing else, we could have an excuse for Jeff Goldblum reprising the immortal Ian Malcolm in commentary.

Monuriki (Cast Away)

Though the island in the 2000 survivalist classic Cast Away was never named, Monuriki was used to host the marooned Tom Hanks and could also be a suitable fantasy venue for the UFC.

While Hanks’ character was stuck miles away from civilization and driven to the brink of insanity in isolation, the UFC could turn the island into a reasonable venue, thanks to sponsorships from FedEx and an appearance from Wilson, who can take over announcer duties from Bruce Buffer.

Manhattan (Escape From New York)

Since Yas Island is just a vacation spot off the coast of Abu Dhabi, what would Fight Island look like if it took a much darker turn?

Things couldn’t look much bleaker than the war-torn version of Manhattan as seen in John Carpenter’s 1981 masterpiece Escape From New York. With only an abandoned subway station staging gladiatorial combat as means of entertainment, this desolate version of Manhattan would still be able to host a major card.

Alcatraz (Escape From Alcatraz)

Alcatraz Island is a real place and should absolutely host a UFC fight card in the near future, but this island would serve a symbolic purpose in our fantasy booking.

With many of the UFC's top stars woefully unhappy with their treatment, yet confined to the promotion as a result of long-term contracts, the famous prison is the perfect metaphor for the current state of the UFC.

Aside from that, it would be fascinating to see fighters like Jorge Masvidal and Jon Jones confined to a cell, with White presiding as the vengeful warden.

---

Wager on all upcoming UFC fights at BetAmerica!