Why was Noche UFC 3 moved from Guadalajara, Mexico to San Antonio?

Noche UFC 3, originally slated to take place in Guadalajara, Mexico, on Sept. 13 as Noche UFC 320, has undergone a significant change at the last minute. The event will now be held in San Antonio, Texas, on the same date, and will no longer be a pay-per-view event but will instead be a Fight Night card.

The decision to move the event from Mexico to Texas came after reports emerged several weeks ago indicating that the Arena Guadalajara, where the event was supposed to take place, was facing construction delays. This led to speculation among MMA fans that the UFC card could be in jeopardy, and those speculations have now become a reality.

The official UFC page on X confirmed the change in venue with a statement on May 31, announcing that the 3rd annual Noche UFC will now be held at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio, Texas. The event aims to celebrate and honor the remarkable contributions of Mexican fighters to combat sports and continues UFC’s tradition of holding an event around Mexican Independence Day.

Initially, there were rumors that the main event of the Noche UFC 3 card would feature Alexander Volkanovski defending his featherweight title against Yair Rodriguez. However, with the event transitioning from a PPV to a Fight Night card, the possibility of a title fight taking place on the card has been eliminated.

Liam Fresen, a dedicated MMA and Boxing writer at Sportskeeda, provides insightful coverage of the sport. His journey into MMA journalism began in 2017, and he has since gained diverse experiences in research, writing, and accounting roles. Liam’s passion for MMA was ignited by Conor McGregor, and he admires Dustin Poirier for his fighting style and persona both inside and outside the cage. He is an advocate for the removal of the 12-6 elbow rule in MMA.

In his reporting, Liam ensures accuracy by cross-checking his work, reaching out to relevant sources for comments, and adhering to Sportskeeda’s guidelines. His work has been recognized on popular MMA platforms, with his article headlines featured in YouTube recaps and onscreen during an episode of The Joe Rogan Experience. Outside of work, Liam enjoys playing cricket, practicing Brazilian jiu-jitsu, cooking, music, and reading.

The decision to move Noche UFC 3 from Guadalajara to San Antonio has brought about significant changes to the event, but MMA fans can still expect an exciting Fight Night card that pays tribute to Mexican fighters and their contributions to the sport.