The UFC held its first event in Australia in 2010. UFC 110: Nogueira vs. Velasquez took place on February 21, 2010, at Acer Arena in Sydney, marking the promotion’s first visit to the country.
The event featured a heavyweight main event between former PRIDE champion Antônio Rodrigo Nogueira and Cain Velasquez. Velasquez won by unanimous decision, beginning a successful UFC run that eventually led to the heavyweight championship.
UFC 110 was a major international milestone for the promotion. It drew 17,431 fans and became a sellout in Sydney, helping demonstrate the UFC’s growing global appeal. The card also included established names such as Wanderlei Silva, Mirko Cro Cop and Michael Bisping.
A common mix-up is confusing Australia’s first UFC event with UFC 127, which was held in Sydney in 2011. UFC 127 was the second UFC event in Australia, not the first.