The return of UFC events to Macau demonstrates the city’s focus on becoming a sport event center in Asia, says Kevin Kelley, Chief Operating Officer of Galaxy Entertainment Group.
Kelley made the comments on Thursday at a press conference for the ‘UFC: Fight Night’ mixed martial arts event, which will be held on November 23rd at the Galaxy Arena, emphasizing the number of entertainment and sports events organized by GEG and Macau in 2024.
“The return of UFC Fight Night showcases our commitment to promoting the integrated development of sports and tourism in Macau, while attracting enthusiasts and visitors from around the world”, the Galaxy Macau COO noted.
This event marks the UFC’s fourth outing in Macau since 2012 – albeit the first since 2014 -and the seventh overall in Greater China, and will be carried out in front of a sold-out crowd at the new Galaxy Arena, airing during a special local prime time for audiences across Asia.
The main bout includes a clash between former UFC bantamweight champion and No.3 ranked contender Petr Yan and former UFC flyweight champion and No.5 ranked bantamweight Deiveson Figueiredo.
In the co-main event, former UFC women’s strawweight title challenger and No.2 ranked Yan Xiaonan will reignite her championship quest against No.10 ranked Tabatha Ricci.
During the press conference Kelley acknowledged the role of Macau’s tourism sports development strategy in enhancing the city’s reputation as a sports destination, with sporting events one of the main avenues chosen by authorities to diversify the city’s economy away from gaming.
Under its new 10-year gaming license, GEG has committed non-gaming investment of over MOP33 billion ($4.1 billion) to further diversify Macau’s tourism attraction, with its new Galaxy Arena – which opened on December, 2023 – hosting entertainment and sport events basically every weekend, including the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup Macao 2024 and The Women’s Volleyball Nations League 2024 Macao.
“Recent months have seen us host numerous world-class events in entertainment and sports,” Kelley stated. “But our partnership with the UFC, the premier organization in mixed martial arts, truly raises the bar. We are incredibly proud and excited to welcome UFC Fight Night back to Macau at the Galaxy Arena.”
Kelly also extended his best wishes to all participants, particularly the four fighters present at the press conference. “You are all remarkable athletes, and I have great respect for your dedication, rigorous training, and strength of character to compete at the highest international level. Your fans and all spectators, including myself, are looking forward to an incredible show.”
Analysts at Jefferies noted in a Thursday release that ‘UFC is expected to attract high level ADT players’. ADT refers to average daily theoretical player loss.
