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Before the very first main event of 2021, where former featherweight champion Max Holloway will fight Calvin Katter, we suggest you watch Max's fight with former lightweight champion Anthony Pettis

This year was supposed to mark the return of the Diaz brothers, but UFC president Dana White doesn't believe it will actually happen.

While White has made it clear he doesn't believe Nick Diaz will return after a six-year hiatus, the UFC president now has doubts about Nate Diaz, who is also planning his return in 2021.

Diaz, who last competed at UFC 244, losing to Jorge Masvidal for the coveted BMF belt, remains one of the promotion's biggest stars. A rematch with Masvidal was brewing, as the first fight ended with a doctor's arrest, but it quickly faded away. Instead, Diaz has not been contacted for the past 14 months and is not currently discussing the next fight.

While White hopes Diaz will return to the octagon in 2021, he doesn't know if that will actually happen. It's probably one of those "I'll believe it when I see it"situations.

“I hope he fights this year, " White said during a recent interview with ESPN+. "I hope so." I'd like to see him fight. I don't count on it, but I'd like to see him fight.”

Inside the octagon reporters analyzed the upcoming UFC 257 main event, which will feature a rematch between former interim lightweight champion Dustin Porrier and former dual champion Conor McGregor.

We invite you to see a selection of the best finishes from Fight Island for 2020, the authors of which were such fighters as Khabib Nurmagomedov, Magomed Ankalaev, Israel Adesanya, Joaquin Buckley, Jan Blachovich and others.

Conor McGregor is just two weeks away from making his long-awaited return to the octagon, and the former two-time UFC champion looks to be at the peak of his form.

McGregor, who has not fought since his technical knockout victory over Donald Cerrone last January, will face lightweight contender Dustin Poirier at UFC 257 on January 23, live on ESPN+ at the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. The winner is expected to compete for the 155-pound championship title later this year.

Former UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway will begin his journey back to the title at UFC Fight Island 7 on January 16, live on ABC and ESPN+ from the Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, when "the blessed one" will face rising contender Calvin Kattar in the main event.

Holloway lost to reigning UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovsky. "The Blessed One" won 14 straight fights at 145 pounds before his fight with Alexander, so he's more than capable of taking out Kattar and igniting a new winning streak for 2021.

Although Holloway's clash with Kattar next weekend will be his first non-title fight since his fight with Ricardo Lamas in 2016, it will still be a five-round bout. It's something Holloway is well prepared for and it's allowed him to keep most of his training going for a return to the octagon.

UFC 257 is the hottest ticket in the world.

It's probably the only ticket, too, but since former UFC two-division champion Conor McGregor-MMA's biggest star-has never set foot on” Fight Island " in Abu Dhabi, UAE fans are likely to fill those seats regardless a lot.

According to MMA Junkie, which made the necessary inquiries to verify such facts, socially distanced (and extremely limited) tickets ranging from $ 795 dirhams ($216 USD) to $ 4,995 UAE dirhams ($1,360 USD) were completely sold out for the Etihad Arena.

Even before the pandemic, it was hard to get tickets to McGregor's fight. That's because he performs so rarely and flirts with retiring after every loss. It will be interesting to see what the promotion can offer him for winning.

Fans will again be allowed to attend UFC events, albeit on a very limited basis. According to the Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism, the three events scheduled for this month on “fight Island "will have a ” limited number of spectators" at the new Etihad Arena.

According to the Department, its proven "safe zone" is what allowed a select number of people to attend all three events, starting with UFC Fight Island 7 on Saturday January 16, 2021, where Max Holloway will take on Calvin Kattar.

"Viewers will see three mega-fights using Abu Dhabi's proven 'safe zone' concept to protect the health and safety of all participants, spectators, crew and media, " a separate tweet read.

The upcoming UFC 259, which is scheduled to take place on March 6, 2021, has been slightly enhanced with the addition of a bantamweight title fight between division champion Peter Yan and Aljamain Sterling. This is according to a report from MMA Junkie, which says that although the promotion has not yet made the fight official, this is exactly what they are leaning towards.

If this happens, it will be the third title fight scheduled for this event, as it will include a light heavyweight title fight between division champion Jan Blachowicz defending his belt against middleweight champion Yisrael Adesanyi. In addition, Amanda Nunes will defend her featherweight belt against Megan Anderson.

Former interim UFC lightweight champion Dustin Poirier understands that if he goes to the main event of UFC 257 PPV on January 23 in Abu Dhabi and defeats Conor McGregor, the promotion will have no choice but to give him the next title chance at 155 pounds.

That's why Dustin is focused on winning, not getting revenge.

"This is not about payback," Poirier said last weekend. “This is not a rematch. Of course, these are very important to me. I go out there and beat him, it's all part of this game, things I'll think about and be happy about, but that's not my motivation every day. My main goal is to become a world champion, to be the best.”

The future of the current champion Khabib Nurmagomedov may depend on this.

McGregor stopped Poirier in their first meeting at UFC 178 back in 2014, when both fighters were promising, but a lot has changed since then. And Dustin needs to do something to get Conor out of the title race.

Especially after a resounding defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov.