UFC muscles into Asia with eyes firmly on China

SINGAPORE: The world’s biggest mixed martial arts organisation, the Las Vegas-based UFC, Thursday announced its long-awaited return to Asia with a Singapore show and an “ambition” to debut in mainland China.

Ultimate Fighting Championship, which has shot to sporting prominence by making global stars of fighters such as Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey, said it would host three events in Asia and two in Australia and New Zealand, though only confirming the Singapore date on June 17.

While UFC has previously hosted two events in the southern Chinese semi-autonomous city of Macau, UFC Head of International and Content Joe Carr said its sights were now firmly fixed on the lucrative Chinese mainland.

“We’re definitely working on our first event in mainland China,” he said at a press conference in Singapore.

“We’ve had a couple of events in Macau but it’s completely different going to a Beijing or a Shanghai. I have nothing to announce but it’s definitely a priority and a focus for the organisation. We were successful in Macau and that’s fine but our ambitions are mainland China.”

The Singapore card will look to cash in on the continued rise of mixed martial arts across the Asia- Pacific region and will be the first staged in Asia by the UFC since Seoul, South Korea, almost 18 months ago.

The UFC had planned to hold an event in Manila in October but was forced to cancel when headliner BJ Penn injured his ribs during his pre-fight camp. Carr said UFC would stage another show in Tokyo later this year, while another in Asia, probably in Seoul, and Australia and New Zealand events, were also planned. — AFP