Back in the lead-up to the first ever UFC on Fox event, UFC President Dana White boldly claimed that Ultimate Fighting Championship would be headed to China sometime in 2012.
Apparently that plan, unlike so many of the UFC's recent fights, is still right on schedule.
UFC President Dana White confirmed with MMA Weekly that the world's largest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion will still be holding a show in the world's most populous country in 2012.
"We are going to China this year, that's already happening. We're doing an Ultimate Fighter there too; that's all gonna happen."
No word yet on when exactly the event will go down or which numbered show is expected take place there. We'll keep you posted right here on MMAmania.com when it's announced.
Holding an event is one thing, but a season of The Ultimate Fighter?
The only current fighter on the UFC roster who hails from China is Zhang Tiequan, and he hasn't exactly been performing up to snuff.
"The Mongolian Wolf" has lost three of his last four and was recently knocked out cold by Issei Tamura in the opening bout of UFC 144 in Japan.
The UFC is hoping to cross over and become huge in China, similar to what basketball was able to do with the NBA. They even hired former NBA China Executive Mark Fischer to aid the process in their UFC Asia office, but they'll likely need to find their own version of Yao Ming if they truly want to break through to the masses.
How long do you think it'll be before that happens? And do you predict this upcoming UFC event in China to go off without a hitch?
Opinions, please.
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