This week marks a seminal moment for the sport of mixed martial arts in Asia. Saturday the UFC officially returns to Singapore for the first time since 2014 with Fight Night: Holm vs Correia. But the action in Singapore started much sooner.
The UFC partnered with the International Mixed Martial Arts Federation to deliver the inaugural Asian Open Championships to Singapore. The amateur tournament started Monday and concludes Friday and is another opportunity for the sport to gain awareness and attention in Asia.
UFC.com spoke with IMMAF representatives from Malaysia and Singapore to discuss the Asian Open, Asian fighters’ dreams of reaching the UFC and in general the growth of MMA in their regions.