UFC to stage first event in mainland China as November date is confirmed
July 31, 2017
The Ultimate Fighting Championship will stage its first ever event in mainland China later this year.
International and homegrown UFC fighters will take part in the landmark event, which is set to be staged in Shanghai on November 25.
“We are always asked when the UFC will be making its debut in mainland China,” UFC senior vice-president of international and content, Joe Carr, said.
“We are honoured to confirm that Shanghai will be the home of the very first live UFC event in mainland China and to say that we are excited is an understatement. The entire organisation is looking forward to making history this year.”
Michael Ma, the chief executive of the China division of the UFC’s parent company, the WME|IMG agency, added: “MMA is developing rapidly in China and amassing a large fan base. This is an exciting first step to making the sport a mainstay here.”
UFC’s move into the Chinese market comes as the sport embarks on a busy schedule during the closing stages of 2017, with 12 events in six countries planned between October and late December.
Other venues include Las Vegas, Sao Paulo, Sydney and Gdansk, Poland.