UFC Shanghai 2023: Promotion Returns To China With Fight Night Featuring Road To UFC Season 2 Finale

Shanghai, November 1: UFC on Wednesday (November 1) announced a return to China with UFC Fight Night Shanghai and the finals for Road To UFC Season 2 on December 9 in local prime time, presented by RIO Strong, an Official Partner of UFC.

This will be the fourth event UFC has held in mainland China, and will take place at the newly renovated Shanghai Indoor Stadium, an iconic arena located in the central Xuhui District, in cooperation with Shanghai Sports Federation and Xuhui District Sports Bureau.

UFC Shanghai 2023 card will take shape soon, but what is clear now is that the event will feature four finale bouts for Season 2 of Road To UFC, a ground-breaking "win and advance" tournament for Asia's top MMA prospects.

The finals will take place on the preliminary cardin front of a live arena crowd, where competitors will have the opportunity to deliver career-defining performances that will earn the winners coveted UFC contracts.

Kevin Chang, the UFC Senior Vice President and Head of Asia, is excited with the promotion's return to Shanghai and hopes to put on another incredible show following previous successes.

"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. We can't wait to put on another incredible show for our passionate fans and showcase the next generation of UFC athletes from the country," Chang was quoted as saying in a release.

"To be able to host this event back where it all started, in this incredible city where we are headquartered and have made significant investments to change the sport, is a fitting way to write the next chapter of the growth of MMA in China."

Once again, Endeavor China is the official UFC event promoter in Shanghai. Sum Huang, CEO of Endeavor China, said the partnership between the promotion and the company has seen a rapid growth in MMA in the country.

"Endeavor China's partnership with UFC has been instrumental in the rapid growth of MMA in China, and we are proud to play a role in serving passionate combat sports fans across the country," Huang was quoted as saying in a release.

"Building on our successful debut in Shanghai in 2017, we are excited to bring another sensational event to the city and highlight the promising new wave of UFC athletes representing our country inside the rejuvenated Shanghai Indoor Stadium."