The UFC announced Saturday night that it will hold its first event ever in mainland China on November 25th. The event will take place at the Mercedes-Benz Arena in Shanghai.
General Tire is the presenting sponsor for the event. It is the official tire partner of the UFC in the Asia-Pacific region. The press release announcing the event states the event “will give Chinese fans the opportunity to experience the highest level of MMA competition, in an event packed with international and homegrown UFC stars.”
Via UFC press release:
“We anticipate an exciting future in the China market and we look forward to teaming up with the UFC to bring General Tire customers the “Anywhere is Possible” spirit of adventure that speaks to UFC fans worldwide,” stated Mitchell Golledge, Head of Marketing Re PLT Tyres APAC.
“WME | IMG China is delighted to present UFC – the world’s most recognized MMA brand – to Chinese audiences this November,” remarked Michael Ma, WME | IMG China CEO. “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.”
Payout Perspective:
The breakthrough in the China market is big news from a business perspective because of the potential for growth in China. There has been many attempts for US promotions to get into mainland China but none have been sustained. Expect the UFC to put its best foot forward. While there will be local fighters, I would assume that we will see some well-known names fighting on this card.
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