Report - UFC Fight Island 7 Airs On ABC Network

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Bottari - Zuffa LLC & Zuffa LLC

The UFC is set for a return to network television. Returning to its schedule on January 16 -- the promotion will air it's UFC Fight Island 7 event on the ABC network. 

Confirmed today by ESPN MMA reporter, Ariel Helwani following a prior report from both Nolan King and John Morgan of MMA Junkie, the organization will debut it's 2021 schedule on the ABC network as well as partners, ESPN+ as it returns to Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE for a triple-header of events including UFC Fight Island 7 on January 16 -- UFC Fight Island 8 -- on January 20 -- and a UFC 257 pay-per-view event on January 23. 

The promotion will return to network television for the first time since December of 2018 where they held a UFC on FOX 31 card, headlined by a lightweight rematch of longtime contender, 'Ragin' Al Iaquinta, and former interim title challenger, Kevin 'The Mo'Town Phenom' Lee. From January, the promotion began its partnership with ESPN, hosting a UFC Fight Night Brooklyn card where Henry 'Triple C' Cejudo defended his flyweight title against then-bantamweight best, T.J. Dillashaw in a main event clash.

Kicking off the promotion's year is a high-stakes potential featherweight title-eliminator between former champion, Max 'Blessed' Holloway who takes on New England Cartel standout, Calvin Kattar over five-rounds. 

Dropping two on the trot, Holloway featured at UFC 251 in July last, unsuccessfully prying the 145-pound crown back from two-time foe, Alexander 'The Great' Volkanovski in a close split decision loss. For the streaking Kattar, the Boston native enjoyed an eye-catching 2020 -- besting both Jeremy Stephens and Dan Ige, the first of which with a highlight-reel step-in elbow knockout.

In the second of three Abu Dhabi, UAE events -- on short-notice, The Ultimate Fighter 15 victor, Michael 'The Maverick' Chiesa looks to continue his ascension up the welterweight ranks as he headlines opposite 170-pound mainstay, 'The Haitian Sensation' Neil Magny. 

The winner of three on the trot, Chiesa most recently took home a unanimous decision win over former lightweight champion, Rafael dos Anjos at UFC Fight Night Raleigh in January last. Besting former welterweight kingpin. 'Ruthless' Robbie Lawler in August, Elevation Fight Team mainstay, Magny made it three wins in as many outings. 

Rounding off the UFC's visit back to the Middle East, a massive 155-pound rematch with possible title implications takes place as former interim champion, Dustin 'The Diamond' Poirier re-runs his 2014 clash with former two-weight world champion, 'The Notorious' Conor McGregor in the desert. 

McGregor took home a knockout win inside two-minutes over Poirier back in September 2014, and is fresh from a forty-second demolition of Donald 'Cowboy' Cerrone at UFC 247 in January last. Hoping to also string together a pair of wins, American Top Team staple, Poirier headlined UFC Vegas 4 in June, taking home a hard-fought unanimous judging win over Dan 'The Hangman' Hooker - whom just so happens to welcome former three-time Bellator lightweight best, Michael Chandler to the UFC in the card's co-main event slot.