SHANGHAI: UFC, the world’s premier Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organisation, Tuesday announced plans to open the world’s largest, state-of-the-art MMA training and development facility in the Chinese city of Shanghai in 2019. The development comes as the UFC brings its first-ever event to Beijing this week.
UFC Performance Institute Shanghai will serve as a training hub to develop and support MMA athletes from mainland China and the greater Asia-Pacific region. UFC will also utilise the building as its headquarters in Asia, housing UFC employees and UFC Performance Institute staff, including experts in the fields of MMA, strength and conditioning, sports science, physical therapy and nutrition.
The institute will also have built-in advanced production capabilities with spectator seating that will allow UFC to produce and distribute live events and other original programming.
Additional features will include hospitality suites, dining, retail services, and a fan experience area. When completed, the multi-million-dollar facility will span more than 93,000 square feet, approximately three times the size of the original UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.
UFC President Dana White said: “I could not be more excited about the UFC Performance Institute opening in Shanghai.
“We know there is a ton of talent throughout Asia and now we will be able to find them and offer them all the incredible training, nutrition, and physical therapy that UFC fighters are getting in the Performance Institute at our headquarters in Las Vegas, right there in China. This is another game changer for the sport, UFC, and potential athletes throughout Asia.”
The Shanghai institute will witness a full MMA coaching staff implementing a sport-specific training system developed in consultation with former UFC light heavyweight champion, Hall of Famer and current UFC VP of Athlete Development, Forrest Griffin. This integrated, inter-disciplinary combat sports performance team will offer an unparalleled level of support to athletes.
Additional details regarding the institute will be announced in the coming months.
