The UFC is heading back to mainland China for the first time in seven years, with a Fight Night event set for August 23 at the iconic Shanghai Indoor Stadium. The promotion made the announcement during a press event featuring Chinese MMA standouts Zhang Weili, Song Yadong, and Zhang Mingyang — a clear signal that homegrown talent will be front and center.
The full card hasn’t been revealed yet, but buzz is already building. A day before Fight Night, the semifinals of the Road to UFC tournament will take place in the same venue, creating a stacked weekend for fight fans in Asia. It’s a strong play for a region where MMA interest — especially in China — continues to grow fast.
The UFC last hit the mainland back in November 2017, when Kelvin Gastelum stepped in on short notice and knocked out former champ Michael Bisping in front of 15,000 fans. That event was unforgettable not just for the finish, but also for the drama behind it — Gastelum had originally been booked to fight Anderson Silva, who was pulled from the card due to a flagged drug test tied to tainted supplements.
After years away due to the pandemic, the UFC began rebuilding its presence in the region with a 2024 Fight Night in Macau. That card was headlined by Petr Yan vs. Deiveson Figueiredo and featured wins from Chinese fighters like Yan Xiaonan and Zhang Mingyang, giving fans a taste of the local talent rising through the ranks.
Now, with the stage set for Shanghai, August’s Fight Night looks like more than just a return — it’s shaping up to be a major step forward in the UFC’s continued push across Asia.
