UFC is returning to Charlotte for the fifth time ever and first time since 2018, as the fighting property brings its non-PPV Fight Night events back on the road to a greater extent this year. The Endeavor-owned MMA circuit will announce later today that it will hold a Fight Night card on Saturday, May 13th, at the Hornets’ Spectrum Center, though the fighter match-ups for the event are not yet clear. Fight Nights are a level below PPVs and they often air either on ESPN linear channels, ESPN+ or both. UFC used to hold them across America on a weekly basis before the pandemic but then it started holding them at its Apex facility in Las Vegas when COVID hit. Now, it is creating more of a mix where it uses the Apex at times still -- and has built the venue out to host up to 1,000 fans -- but is also getting back out on the road more.

The May event will mark UFC’s fifth ever stop in Charlotte but only the second in the last decade. It also will be the first since ESPN took over media rights from Fox. Some of UFC’s first ever events -- UFC 3 and UFC 5 -- were held in the Queen City in 1994 and 1995, respectively, while it also held events there in 2010 and 2018. Tickets will go on sale April 7th.