UFC confirm multi-year event deal in Asia with Fight Night Singapore

Bengaluru, April 16: The UFC confirmed on Monday (April 16) about their highly-anticipated return to the Lion City with UFC Fight Night: Cerrone vs. Edwards on June 23. The announcement also signals a multi-year event deal that will see the promotion make annual stops in Singapore over the next three years.

This event will give the fans in the region an opportunity to witness one of the most daring and unpredictable MMA athletes in the history of the modern sport.

Singapore, we're BACK on June 2️⃣3️⃣!! https://t.co/qCXo1dyJwV 🇸🇬#UFCSingapore pic.twitter.com/Q3zScCAAn7
— UFC_Asia (@UFC_Asia) April 16, 2018

The event is set to be headlined by No. 11-ranked UFC welterweight Donald Cerrone taking on the division's rapidly rising young British star, Leon Edwards. While, in the co-main event, No. 8-ranked knockout-ace Ovince Saint Preux will face rising Australian star Tyson Pedro in a light heavyweight showdown.

Cerrone, who is well known for his thrilling style inside the octagon moved into a three-way tie for the most wins in UFC history, when he knocked out Yancy Medeiros.

While, Edwards is on a five-fight winning streak and will have his sights set on another dominant win, this time against one of the best in the business. A win for Edwards will make a massive statement and continue his rise to the top of the division.

The UFC is coming back to Singapore

🎟: https://t.co/wzMKl1vCNR pic.twitter.com/TdzBoQL163
— UFC India (@UFCIndia) April 16, 2018

Other bouts on the card include, Shinsho Anzai taking on Jake Matthews in a welterweight division, Jessica Rose Clark faces Jessica Eye in women's flyweight bout, Jenel Lausa faces Ashkan Mokhtarian in a flyweight bout, Matt Schnell takes on undefeated prospect Naoki Inoue in a flyweight match-up.

While, Yan Xiaonan is looking to score her second consecutive win in the octagon against strawweight contender Nadia Kassem. Additional fights will be confirmed in the lead up to the event.

Speaking of the multi-year deal, UFC Vice President, Asia Pacific Kevin Chang said, "After evaluating the success of our events last year, the appetite from our partners and rapidly growing MMA fan base, we feel it is the right time to make the Lion City a regular, annual stop on our live events calendar."

"Singapore is home to Southeast Asia's biggest and most talked-about events and remains a key market for us. We look forward to building on our growth from 2017, as we bring fans in this region even closer to world class MMA."

This is the first multi-year live event agreement for the global brand in the Asia-Pacific region and follows a highly successful 2017 which saw UFC events in Japan, China, Australia, New Zealand and Singapore; where UFC Fight Night: Holm vs. Correia drew a crowd of over 8,400 fans at Singapore Indoor Stadium last June.

"We are honored to help make UFC Fight Night a regular fixture in Singapore's sporting line-up," Rudy Khaw, Group Head of Branding for AirAsia said. This will be the UFC's first regular live event in the region and, as a truly Asian airline, we are thrilled to be able to bring world-class MMA closer to fans here."

As part of the agreement, UFC has pledged to bring their fans in Asia even more opportunities to meet, train and watch the world's finest MMA athletes from around the globe.

UFC will stage regular editions of UFC Fight Night Singapore all of which will be hosted at Singapore Indoor Stadium as part of a strategic partnership with the Singapore Sports Hub and the Singapore Tourism Board to bring fans in southeast Asia the best possible spectator experience and premium combat sports events.

"The Singapore Sports Hub is thrilled to host the UFC again at the Singapore Indoor Stadium," Adam Firth, Chief Commercial Officer for Sports Hub Pte Ltd, shared.

"UFC is an undisputed heavyweight in world sport, and the leading MMA franchise globally. UFC Fight Night Singapore continues to be a highlight on our sporting calendar. Together with UFC, we greatly look forward to presenting more world-class mixed martial arts to fans from the region."

Source: UFC Press Realease