China Poised To Host Next Edition Of Asian American Championships

China's "move to embrace the sport" of MMA has "gathered pace over the past week with the country now poised to host the next edition of the Asian Open Championships," according to Matthew Scott of the SOUTH CHINA MORNING POST. The newly created China Int'l Mixed Martial Arts Federation will invite its int'l counterpart to Beijing in July to "seal the deal." CIMMAF Secretary General Adrian Lee said, "We hope to make it formal then. We have very strong government support and the sport can only go forward from here." The CIMMAF "only came into existence last November and has brought three fighters to the first staging of the Asian championships," being held in Singapore this week. Lee: "We are just here for the experience really this time around" (SCMP, 6/16).