Dana White’s Contender Series to Launch Asian Edition in 2020

We're heading to Asia to find our next UFC stars DWCS is coming to Asia in 2020! More: https://t.co/QpY9zW1cb1 #DWCS pic.twitter.com/WNCNJUrwIx

— UFC_Asia (@UFC_Asia) October 31, 2019

The Ultimate Fighting Championship will continue its global expansion with the launch of an Asian version of Dana White’s Contender Series in 2020.

The promotion announced on Wednesday that Dana White’s Contender Series Asia will be held at the new UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai, China. The 93,000 square foot facility is three times as large as the Las Vegas-based Performance Institute and was built with production capabilities and spectator seating designed to host and distribute events like the Contender Series.

One of my favorite parts of my job is looking for up-and-coming talent,” UFC president Dana White said in a release. “There’s no area in the world right now with more potential MMA talent than Asia. We’re going to use Dana White’s Contender Series to find these fighters, develop them, and give them the opportunity to perform on the biggest stage in combat sports.”

The Contender Series takes MMA prospects from various weight classes and typically puts them on a five-bout, weekly card, with the most impressive performers earning UFC contracts. The first three seasons of the show in the United States have been a success, and the promotion previously went international for a Brazilian version of the Contender Series in 2018.

Dana White’s Contender Series Asia will include both male and female athletes, and all 11 weight classes are being considered for the show. More details regarding scheduling and format will be announced at a later date.