UFC held a two-day fan experience ahead of the event in Moscow.img licensing
UFC's recent event in Moscow, the promotion's first card in Russia, marked the most recent step in the organization's int'l growth, which "has always been a priority," according to UFC Senior Exec VP & COO Lawrence Epstein. "This business, and this sport, is scaled internationally," Epstein said. "[UFC President] Dana White says it best: 'It doesn't matter where you come from, what color you are; you understand fighting, you get it and you like it.' It's part of our DNA. That has absolutely proved true. We're on television now in 150 countries and territories reaching [approximately] 1.2 billion homes."
'A MAJOR FOCUS': China, in particular, is an enticing market, Epstein said. "I don't care what business you're in, you’ve got to try to figure out a strategy for that market based upon population alone," he said. "One of the advantages that we have is, it's the largest martial arts market on planet Earth. We feel like there's a lot of upside and opportunity to grow in that particular market. That is evidenced by our first event in Mainland China last November in Shanghai at Mercedes-Benz Arena." He called that event, which featured eight Chinese fighters, a "huge success." UFC will return to the country for its second event in Mainland China on Nov. 24 at Cadillac Arena in Beijing. Epstein said, "That is going to be a market that we're going to continue to devote a lot of resources to. ... China is undoubtedly going to be a major focus for us."
LATIN FLAIR: Brazil has long been among UFC's strongest markets, and one of UFC's priorities is to strengthen its presence throughout the rest of Latin America. Epstein highlighted the success of recent events in Mexico and Chile, and said that a November card in Buenos Aires will also be an important night for UFC's growth in South America. He added that the efforts to move into new markets will not prevent the organization from seeking continued progress in countries where it is established, like Brazil, Canada and the U.K., as "the product just continues to get more and more popular in virtually every jurisdiction."
