UFC 'here to stay' as Shanghai base opened

The official opening of the Ultimate Fighting Championship's Performance Institute in Shanghai on Thursday can be seen as a statement that the fight promotion is serious about the Chinese market, said UFC president Dana White.

"This investment that we've made here - this shows that the UFC is here to stay and will be a massive force in the coming five to six years," said White.

"If you look at the money that is being reinvested into the brand and the sport, we're also making a pretty big statement that MMA will become the biggest sport in the world," he added.