ARTS + ENTERTAINMENT
UFC returning to Salt Lake for the second time

SALT LAKE CITY – After a 6-year hiatus, the Ultimate Fighting Championship will return to Salt Lake City on August 20. Organizers say the matchup is expected to be one of the biggest live events staged in Utah.
In the UFC’s Salt Lake City debut, Utahns enjoyed an exciting Fight Night event. But the UFC 278 in August in Vivint Arena is expected to be much bigger.
“UFC fight nights are smaller events aired on cable TV. UFC numbered cards are bigger events with the most acclaimed fighters and the most titled fights,” according to the SeatGeek website.
UFC promotes mixed-martial arts, defined as “an extreme combat sport” that can include techniques from wrestling and boxing, but also from kickboxing, judo, and karate.
UFC 278’s main event will be the rematch between welterweights Kamaru Usman and Leon Edwards. Usman’s current record is 20-1-0. Edwards’s current record is 19-3-0. In their first matchup, Usman pulled out the win after 3 grueling rounds. It was a unanimous 3-round judge’s decision.
KSL Sports writer Kyle Ireland expects tickets to sell out very fast. They go on-sale Friday, June 24 at 10 a.m.
Mark Jackson contributed to this report.