The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced plans for an event at the Galaxy Macau resort, which will mark the mixed martial arts promotion’s first visit to the Greater China region since before the COVID-19 pandemic.
UFC Fight Night Macau will take place on November 23. It will be the UFC’s fourth event in Macau and the seventh overall in Greater China.
Galaxy Arena, which opened in April 2023 as Macau’s largest indoor arena with a 16,000-seat capacity, will stage the event.
The most recent UFC event in Macau was at the Cotai Arena in August 2014. The last time UFC visited the Greater China region was in Shenzhen back in August 2019.
The Shanghai Indoor Stadium had been due to host an event on December 9 last year but the UFC ended up relocating it to its Apex facility in Las Vegas, citing logistical issues.
Kevin Chang, UFC’s senior vice-president and head of Asia, announced plans for the new November event following a meeting with Kevin Kelley, chief operating officer in Macau for Galaxy Entertainment Group.
UFC’s popularity in China has increased significantly in recent years amid the success of fighters such as Zhang Weili, Song Yadong and Yan Xiaonan. However, China’s policy in tackling COVID-19 has meant that no UFC event has taken place in the country since the onset of the pandemic.
More details surrounding the card for November’s event in Macau will be announced over the coming weeks.
Chang said: “We are ecstatic to be back at this incredible destination city. Our last UFC event here was a decade ago in 2014, and since then, our brand has grown by leaps and bounds. We are proud to partner with Galaxy Macau and can’t wait to put on an electrifying show at the state-of-the-art Galaxy Arena to the delight of fans across the region.”
Kelley added: “We welcome UFC’s return to Macau after 10 years. This event is a prestigious addition to Galaxy Arena’s growing portfolio of international sports events which includes the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup Macao 2024 and the Women’s Volleyball Nations League 2024 Macao.
“The state-of-the-art equipment and amenities of the Galaxy Arena, combined with Galaxy Macau’s ‘World Class, Asian Heart’ service philosophy, promise to elevate the event’s thrilling experience and further boost Macau’s sports development.”
Featured image credit: UFC
