Ali Bin Hamad al-Attiyah Arena in Al Rayyan was the site of the first-ever UFC “Fight Night” in Qatar and only the third hosted in the Middle East following bouts in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia. This highly anticipated global event relied upon a selected Cohesion PA for full coverage, exceptional clarity, and visceral impact.
A sold-out crowd in Doha needed full-arena coverage, whether the guest was in the front row VIP seating or in the top row cheering on one of fourteen scheduled fights. The PA would need to provide the low end prioritized by UFC in previous matches in the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia, crystal-clear intelligibility for the bout’s spoken-word elements, and efficiency for rigging around numerous production elements.
A team from Clair KSA, Clair UAE, and freelancers familiar with UFC audio needs deployed a Cohesion CO10 rig featuring six arrays that ably covered all 8,000 spectators in the arena. Two concentric rings of CP6+provided downfill, and CP218 II+ subwoofers flown offered ample low end. FourCP118+ subwoofers under the Octagon added extra “thump” loved by the crowd, fighters, and UFC CEO/President Dana White.
The Cohesion PA supported more than seven hours of programming, including a DJ that played between fights, post-bout interviews, and the always-energetic Bruce Buffer introductions. UFC requires audio systems to be flown as high as possible, out of television production shots, so the PA was above the highest seats in the arena, more than 60 feet up. Despite the height, the CO10 arrays covered every corner. Broadcast trucks, UFC production, and fans alike remarked that the audio was crystal-clear.
“The audio is such an important part of delivering a UFC show, not only in the arena, but for the viewing public at home. Many things were challenging putting a show in Doha—but not the PA. The show was a huge success.”
