UFC books fall trip to Macau for first time since 2014

For the first time in more than a decade, the UFC is headed back to Macau.

For the first time in more than a decade, the UFC is headed back to Macau.

The promotion early Thursday announced an event for Nov. 23 in the location in China, which will be its first trip there since August 2014. The UFC first held in event in Macau in November 2012. It was back there twice in 2014, but has not been to Macau since.

Instead, the UFC’s efforts in China have been in Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen on three separate trips. The most recent visit to China came nearly five years ago in Shenzhen.

The UFC did not announce a headliner or any fights for the card, which will take place at Galaxy Arena, a newer venue in Macau, which will be a shift from the promotion’s first three trips there at Cotai Arena.

Cung Le headlined two of the UFC’s first three trips to Macau in 2012 and 2014 against Rich Franklin and Michael Bisping. A third show was topped by a fight between Dong Hyun Kim and John Hathaway.

Promotion officials like CEO Dana White have indicated the UFC will start to be out on the road for more shows in the coming months, creeping back toward a pre-COVID type schedule. Most of the UFC’s “Fight Night”-level shows currently take place at the UFC Apex in Las Vegas.