When Weili Zhang knocked out Jessica Andrade in the main event of UFC Shenzhen she became the first UFC champion from China. Now, with the Las Vegas-based promotion heading to Abu Dhabi, UFC president, Dana White believes they will soon have a champion from the Middle East.
“I won’t be surprised – I said this about England, I said this about Australia, Canada and every country we have gone to – there will be a champion from the Middle East probably within the next six to seven years,” White said (h/t MMA Junkie).
Why he believes that is simple. He says whenever the UFC heads to a new market it sparks the interest of MMA in the region. So, he expects that to happen in Abu Dhabi and the Middle East.
“Since we have done events in Abu Dhabi – and it happens everywhere we go, it kick-starts the market,” White said. “Gyms pop up and people are training. Talent is coming out of the area.”
This is also the first of a five-year agreement with Abu Dhabi that will see the Octagon touched there once a year with a title fight on top. With that, Dana White believes that will only peak the people’s interest.
“We have a really close connection with Abu Dhabi because we’ve already been there a few times and the fights we’ve done there before,” said White. “The people of the UAE have been so good to the UFC. We are going to continue to come back and bring big fights to the Middle East.”
