UFC kicks its way into nascent Chinese market

Chang said the Chinese fighters' results showed "how far the level of talent has come" and that future China bouts were "definitely in the cards".

"It is not a secret that is the formula to success - having locally relevant heroes is the way that sports brands grow," Chang told China Daily in Shanghai on Nov 28.

"We'll probably start to develop and invest in more athletes in China and the region because there are simply more people in the sport now."

UFC has a development program in China, with scouts identifying talent before sending them to the United States to train.

UFC also is also going after the Chinese market via social media, forming a new partnership with Air Asia.

"Social media is in our DNA, and Air Asia is definitely very strong in social media. They have the same approach and attitude in utilizing the platform to reach consumers and be in tune with them," Chang said.

The event's official hashtag, #UFCShanghai, garnered more than 46 million clicks.

UFC also will look to promote merchandise, and plans to set up an online store on one of China's major e-commerce platforms, Chang said.

UFC has a fan base of around 40 million in China and is the third-most followed sporting account on WeChat, behind only the NBA and Manchester United of the UK's Premier League, Chang said.

He said the organization's partnerships with about 20 Chinese media companies, including PPTV, Shanghai Media Group and BesTV, are crucial to the sport's growth.

"Saturday's event was almost sold out, so I think that's an indication of just how far we have come," said Chang. "We have also reached several milestones, such as surpassing 100 million video views on internet streaming channels. We've definitely risen in prominence in this market."

Alywin Chew in Shanghai contributed to this story.

Contact the writer at williamhennelly@chinadailyusa.com