Dana White confirms new Hawaii arena clears path for first-ever UFC event in the state

The UFC could hold its first-ever event in Hawaii once a new arena under construction in the state opens, CEO Dana White has confirmed, pointing to 2028 or 2029 as the likely window.

Speaking on The Rich Eisen Show, White was asked to name a destination he would love to take a fight card to, and Hawaii was his immediate answer. “One of our biggest markets since day one has been Hawaii and we’ve still never put on an event in Hawaii,” he said. “We’ve had multiple world champions from Hawaii. The infrastructure there can’t support a UFC event. But now they’re building a new arena there. Supposed to be done in [2028, 2029].”

The absence of a suitable venue has been the long-standing obstacle. Hawaii has produced some of the sport’s most celebrated fighters — two-weight champion B.J. Penn and featherweight king Max Holloway among them — yet the UFC has never been able to stage a card in the state that helped build its fanbase in the early years.

White made clear the prospect excites him both commercially and logistically. “When we do UFC Hawaii, people will lose their minds. Who doesn’t want to go to UFC Hawaii? And every staff member I have working is going to want to work that event,” he said.

The UFC currently has several Hawaiian fighters on its roster who would be strong candidates to compete on such a card, adding a local-hero dimension that White’s promotions have historically leaned into when entering new markets.

White stopped short of announcing a confirmed date or specific venue, and no formal agreement has been announced. But his framing — “it’s a matter of when and not if” — suggests the promotion views the new arena as the final piece needed to make UFC Hawaii a reality rather than a long-deferred ambition.