A decade after its last local tournament, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) returned to Macao in November. Partnering with Galaxy Macau, UFC Fight Night Macau underscored the city’s reputation for world-class sports entertainment.
Galaxy Entertainment Group’s COO Kevin Kelley said, “We’re incredibly proud to bring UFC Fight Night back to Macao, right here at the Galaxy Arena.”
Under an economic diversification strategy led by the Macao government, the city has become a destination for event tourism, with sports getting star billing. “The return of the UFC Fight Night is a showcase for our ability and commitment to promoting the integrated development of sports tourism in Macao,” Kelley says.
As UFC’s Senior Vice President and Head of Asia, Kevin Chang has seen the regional growth of MMA. “This is our seventh event in Greater China and fourth in Macao – the city that has become a hub for top sporting events,” he says. “We’ve had an overwhelming response.”
The state-of-the-art Galaxy Arena provided the perfect stage for some of the finest fighters. In attendance were star names like actor and martial artist Donnie Yen, UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili and UFC legend Li Jingliang, highlighting the event’s appeal to local and international fans.
Here are the results:
Road to UFC and preliminary bouts
The Road to UFC Season 3 Finals saw three fighters earn their place on the UFC roster. South Koreans SuYoung You and DongHun Choi impressed in their respective bouts against China’s Baergeng Jieleysi and United Kingdom’s Kiru Sahota. China’s Shi Ming stole the spotlight with a head-kick knockout against compatriot Feng Xiaocan that secured her contract and earned a $50,000 performance bonus.
The preliminary cards also delivered exciting action. United States’ Carlos Hernandez edged out Mongolia’s Nyamjargal Tumendemberel in a split decision. United Kingdom’s Lone’er Kavanagh won on a unanimous decision over Peru’s Jose Ochoa. China’s Xiao Long secured a late knockout against Vietnam’s Quang Le. Brazil’s Nikolas Motta closed out the prelims with a unanimous decision win over China’s Hayisaer Maheshate.
The main cards saw China’s Zhang Mingyang set the stage with a first-round finish against United States’ Ozzy Dia, while Gabriella Fernandes pulled off a stunning upset against China’s Wang Cong. In the light heavyweight division, New Zealand’s Carlos Ulberg and Switzerland’s Volkan Oezdemir met in a gruelling three-round battle, with Ulberg coming out on top. Muslim Salikhov, known as the “King of Kung Fu,” ended the main card draw with a memorable spinning wheel kick that knocked out China’s Song Kenan in the first round.
Women’s main event: Yan Xiaonan dominates Tabatha Ricci
Fighting on home soil for the first time in six years, Yan Xiaonan dominated the main women’s bout, outworking Tabatha “Baby Shark” Ricci.
Yan credited her team for the game plan. “My coaches gave me this strategy,” she said, adding “Usually my opponents are the ones who have the hometown crowd support, but now I fight in my home country.”
Her impressive win also positioned her for an all-Chinese title rematch with strawweight champion Zhang Weili. “I think I’ve earned the rematch now to get the belt back. I’m ready!”
Men’s main event: Petr Yan outlasts Deiveson Figueiredo
Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo brought the crowd to its feet in the bantamweight division. Former champion Yan won unanimously, though the fight was far more competitive than scorecards suggested, with Figueiredo putting on a stunning fourth round that surprised the Russian.
Despite the Brazilian’s efforts, Yan’s composure ensured victory. Afterwards, he wasted no time calling out bantamweight champion Merab Dvalishvili. “Merab said that Deiveson was the number one contender. Merab, what do you say now, when I beat the number one?”
Yan now inches closer to reclaiming the bantamweight title.
Galaxy Macau and UFC enhance the fan experience
During UFC fight week, Galaxy Macau partnered with the UFC to deliver immersive fun. Located at the Galaxy Promenade’s Pearl Lobby, the “UFC Fan Experience” offered supporters an opportunity to explore the history of MMA, win prizes in the UFC Striking Challenge, and pose for photos against Instagrammable backdrops that included a 360-degree UFC crowd shot.
The event was followed by the “UFC in the Community – MMA Fitness Experience Day,” at the Galaxy Promenade’s East Square, where UFC strawweight champion Zhang Weili and UFC legend Li Jingliang made appearances.
Galaxy Macau also invited four of Macao’s top athletes to share their journeys and achievements. The athletes included Huang Junhua, 2023 Asia Games bronze medalist; Lam Teng Long, basketball player and recipient of the 14th National Games of China Sportsmanship Award; Lai Ka Tong, basketball player and winner of the 2017 Outstanding Athletes Election; and Leong Cheng Hou, volleyball team captain.
The event concluded with a meet-and-greet session featuring UFC stars Justin Gaethje and Diego Lopes, alongside Zhang and Li.
Galaxy Arena takes the lead in major sporting events
Connected to the world’s largest Andaz Hotel, the Galaxy International Convention Center (GICC) is one of Asia’s most advanced event venues. With 40,000 square metres of adaptable space, it can host up to 16,000 guests.
In March, it hosted the Greater Bay Area International Sports Summit which brought together leading figures like basketball legends Yao Ming and Dwyane Wade.
April marked another milestone with the arena’s first international sports competition, the ITTF Men’s and Women’s World Cup. In June, the arena hosted the Women’s Volleyball Nations League, featuring eight international teams.
Located at the Galaxy Macau Integrated Resort, the GICC provides access to eight luxury hotels and 1.1 million square metres of dining, shopping, and entertainment. Combining advanced technology, expansive facilities, and unmatched convenience, the GICC redefines the standard for world-class event venues.