The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to Abu Dhabi tonight, and it seemed to get plenty of attention.

The du Arena on Yas Island appeared to be filled to capacity (about 6,000) to see an eight-bout card capped by the American heavyweight Roy “Big Country” Nelson knocking out Antonio “Minotauro” Nogueira of Brazil.

This was not the first UFC card here … but it was received with greater enthusiasm, it would seem, than the event four years ago.

Some of the violence that makes UFC popular was produced. One bout was stopped because of an accidental gash opened by clashing heads, and several ended via technical knockout.

And then there was the main event, in which “Minotauro” was out cold on the floor of the octagon.

For a photo gallery of the event, go here.

And here is the news story on the card, with comment from the victor of the main event, as well as from someone on the undercard, an American named Clay Guida come up with the quote of the night after defeating Tatsuya Kawajiri of Japan.

In calling for a rising star from Ireland to meet him in the octagon, Guida said: “There’s no pot of golf at the end of the rainbow for him, just a chest-hair sandwich.”

Not sure what that means, exactly, but it sounds ominous. And not very tasty.

Like many other places, the UFC can make money here. The UAE awaits their return.