The UFC is set to return to mainland China for the first time since 2017 with a Fight Night event at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium on August 23, preceded by the Road to UFC semifinals on August 22.
The UFC is set to make a grand return to mainland China, marking its first event there since 2017. This Fight Night will take place at the Shanghai Indoor Stadium on August 23. Exciting, right? Though the fights haven’t been announced yet, UFC champ Zhang Weili, along with Song Yadong and Zhang Mingyang, were part of a recent media event to share the news.
But wait, there’s more! On the night before, August 22, the city will host the semifinals of the Road to UFC tournament. Double the action, double the thrill.
Flashback to November 25, 2017. Shanghai witnessed its first UFC event, where Kelvin Gastelum delivered a knockout blow to Michael Bisping, retiring the former champ in front of over 15,000 fans. What a night!
Originally, Gastelum was supposed to face Anderson Silva. However, Silva was pulled due to a failed drug test. USADA later found out it was from tainted supplements. Unfortunate twist, huh?
After a long hiatus due to the pandemic, the UFC finally returned to China in November 2024 with a Fight Night in Macau. The event featured former champs Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo in a thrilling main event. Chinese stars Yan Xiaonan and Zhang Mingyang also shone brightly on the main card. What a comeback!