A Brief History of the Arena

The Michelob Ultra Arena in Las Vegas opened on April 10, 1999, as the Mandalay Bay Events Center. Originally containing 8,000 seats, boxing promoter Bob Arum convinced Mandalay Resort Group to expand it to 12,000 seats before opening. The arena was the third major music and entertainment venue on the Las Vegas Strip at that time. 

In 2005, MGM Mirage acquired Mandalay Resort Group, including the arena. MGM later became MGM Resorts International. Around 2014, MGM considered converting the venue into a theater but ultimately built the Park Theater instead. 

In February 2021, the arena was renamed Michelob Ultra Arena through a sponsorship deal with Anheuser-Busch’s Michelob Ultra beer brand. The 30,000-square-foot arena continues to host major concerts and sporting events in Las Vegas.

Events to Remember

The arena has hosted numerous high-profile boxing matches, including the Amir Khan vs. Zab Judah Light welterweight title unification match on July 23, 2011.

As of July 2018, the arena had held 31 Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events, beginning with UFC 33. The most recent UFC event held there was UFC Fight Night 88. In 2012, it hosted the largest UFC weigh-in show in history, welcoming 10,000 fans as part of International Fight Week ahead of UFC 148. Since then, UFC events in Las Vegas have moved to T-Mobile Arena as part of a comprehensive marketing and tenancy agreement between the UFC and T-Mobile Arena.

WWE Monday Night Raw, the flagship program of World Wrestling Entertainment, held its 999th episode at the arena on July 16, 2012. This marked the first time WWE performed at Michelob ULTRA Arena.

Score your seat at the Michelob ULTRA Arena At Mandalay Bay to cheer on your favorite teams and catch star-studded concerts – grab your tickets today and join the excitement!