The UFC’s expansion into Asia, specifically China, will continue in 2020 with the launch of an Asian installment of Dana White’s Tuesday Night Contender Series.
The promotion announced plans for the new show on Wednesday. Fights will take place at the UFC’s new Performance Institute in Shanghai. Distribution details are still to be determined.
“One of my favorite parts of my job is looking for up-and-coming talent,” White said in a prepared statement. “There’s no area in the world right now with more potential MMA talent than Asia. We’re going to use Dana White’s Contender Series to find these fighters, develop them and give them the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage in combat sports.”
The UFC has made its expansion into China a priority in recent years. Chinese talent has grown along with UFC investment. In August, the promotion crowned its first ever Chinese champion, female strawweight Zhang Weili.
Domestically, the DWTNCS has been held in Las Vegas. Cards consist of five bouts, after which White offers athletes contracts.
The show has produced notable talent in Maycee Barber, Edmen Shahbazyan, and Sean O’Malley, among others.