Ultimate Fighting Championship, the most recent sport to return to China after Covid restrictions were lifted, will have its first event there since the epidemic, the leading MMA organizer said on Wednesday.
In collaboration with the Xuhui District Sports Bureau and Shanghai Sports Federation, UFC Fight Night will be held in the recently refurbished Shanghai Indoor Stadium, a renowned stadium in the heart of Xuhui District, with event date clearance granted by the local government.
The announcement did not specify which fighters will be participating, but it did mention that matches from the Road to UFC, where up-and-coming fighters vie for UFC contracts, would be included.
This will be the fourth UFC event to take place on China’s mainland and the organization’s first in the country since Shenzhen in 2019.
In Shanghai, UFC boasts a cutting-edge training and performance facility.
“Our first UFC Shanghai event back in 2017 was a historic evening that broke records, created lasting memories, and announced UFC’s arrival in mainland China,” said Kevin Chang, Senior Vice President and Head of UFC Asia. We are really excited to present the next wave of American UFC competitors and put on another amazing performance for our devoted fans.
“It’s a fitting way to write the next chapter of MMA’s growth in China to be able to host this event back where it all began, in this incredible city where we are headquartered and have made significant investments to change the sport,” Chang said.
Early in 2020, China implemented stringent quarantine and travel restrictions in an effort to stop the pandemic’s spread.
Before Beijing dramatically eased restrictions late last year, the strategy resulted in the cancelation of the majority of international sporting events in the nation.