US Octagon pioneer Dana White recently met with students at Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence (MBZUAI) in Abu Dhabi to explore how AI could revolutionise combat sports.

The session, part of White's visit to Abu Dhabi, covered AI-assisted scoring, fighter rankings, injury prediction, and fan engagement. What started as a campus visit turned into a potential collaboration when a student proposed creating the world's first AI research lab focused on martial arts.

"That could be huge," White said. "We're opening a UFC Performance Institute here in Abu Dhabi. Imagine combining your AI research with our athlete data, recovery programmes, and performance tracking." Such partnerships, he noted, reflect Abu Dhabi's growing role as a hub where technology and sport intersect.

When Khaleej Times asked what sets Abu Dhabi apart in embracing these innovations, White's answer was immediate: "When Sheikh Tahnoun told me about this school, I had to see it. I haven't heard of anything like this in the United States - you guys are ahead of the curve again. Whether it's AI, sports, or even how you handled COVID, Abu Dhabi doesn't wait for others it is always first. That's why I love coming here."

Training and data analytics

The Performance Institute, set to open in the UAE capital, will serve as a global hub for fighter training and data analytics. White suggested it could become a launchpad for collaborations between the UFC and Emirati researchers.

White revealed the UFC is already developing AI-driven fighter rankings to improve transparency while exploring AI-assisted judging. "I've hated the rankings for years," he admitted. "We're developing AI rankings now - but I'll still keep the human ones too. The goal is to see where both systems agree or disagree. Eventually, yes - AI judging could happen. It might help judges make better calls, especially when fights are close. When you train for months and lose because of a bad decision, that affects your career, your money, your legacy."

His team already uses AI to scout talent globally. "AI pulled up 15 prospects from around the world in seconds," White said. "My matchmakers already knew six of them - that's how we pressure-test what AI finds."

Throughout the session, White's candor drew laughter and curiosity from students as he flipped questions back to them, inviting ideas on how AI could "train, score, and even teach fans what's happening on the mat." Students discussed using computer vision to analyse fight footage, predict injuries, and explain techniques to viewers in real time. White called the ideas "brilliant," noting they could help new audiences understand ground fighting a challenge he mentioned in broadcasting the sport.

Despite AI's potential, White emphasised its limitations. "AI can't measure heart or grit," he said. "You can't program determination-that's what makes fighting unpredictable. Sometimes the underdog wins with one elbow out of nowhere, and no algorithm could have seen that coming."

MBZUAI, founded in 2019, has established itself among top AI research institutions globally. The university enrolled 403 students this year from over 8,000 applicants, yielding a 5 per cent acceptance rate.

White's appearance was part of MBZUAI's Global Thinkers Series, which brings visionary leaders from diverse fields - including arts, sports, culture, and finance - to engage with students. The series launched earlier with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, reflecting the university's mission to spark dialogue beyond traditional technology discussions.

White praised Abu Dhabi's two-decade commitment to combat sports development. "I've been coming here for almost 20 years," he said. "From the start, Sheikh Tahnoun and the leadership understood what jiu-jitsu and MMA could become. You were doing this long before the world caught on."

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