Which city hosted UFC 8, the first UFC event outside the continental United States?

The story behind the answer

UFC 8 was hosted in Bayamón, Puerto Rico, making Bayamón the answer to the question.

Held on February 16, 1996, at the Ruben Rodríguez Coliseum, UFC 8 was the promotion’s first event outside the continental United States. It remains the only UFC event held in Puerto Rico. The card drew about 13,000 fans and was promoted as “David vs. Goliath” because its open-weight tournament paired much larger and smaller fighters.

The location is sometimes confused with Honolulu because Hawaii is also outside the continental United States. However, UFC 8 was not held there. San Juan is another tempting option because it is Puerto Rico’s capital, but the venue was in Bayamón, a separate city in the island’s metropolitan area.

Don Frye won the eight-man tournament by defeating Gary Goodridge in the final. The event also featured a Superfight Championship bout between Ken Shamrock and Kimo Leopoldo.

Source: Wikipedia · fact-checked Sept. 2026

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