At a press conference at the SM Mall of Asia Arena on Wednesday, it was announced that UFC Fight Night 65 would be taking place on May 16 in what will be the first time the promotion has ever held an event in the Philippines and the UFC's first Asian card of 2015.
In his first public appearance since replacing Mark Fischer, the UFC's Executive Vice President and General Manager of Asia Ken Berger addressed the media.
"We are thrilled to be kicking off our Asia event calendar in Manila this year. The UFC has a loyal and passionate fan base in the Philippines and we’re looking forward to bringing the very best of mixed martial arts (MMA) to Manila for the first time. We have found a great event partner in SM Lifestyle Entertainment inc. and are excited that the SM Mall of Asia Arena will be home to a historic UFC event that fans will remember for years to come."
According to reporters who attended Wednesday's press conference, this will be the UFC's only card in South East Asia in 2015, meaning there will be no repeat of last year's event at Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. There is no word yet on who will be fighting on May 16, but Filipinos Roldan Sangcha-an and Mark Eddiva are both likely to be in action.