UFC returns to Macau for the first time in more than 10 years

The UFC will return to Macau for the first time in more than 10 years when a Fight Night, headlined by a bantamweight battle between Petr Yan and Deiveson Figueiredo, is held at the Galaxy Arena on the morning of Saturday 23 November 2024.

Yan (17-5), a former bantamweight champion, will be looking to build momentum after winning his last match against Song Yadong by unanimous decision in March of this year. The victory broke a run of three straight losses for the 31-year-old Russian.

Figueiredo (24-3-1), a former two-time flyweight champion, has put together a three-match winning run in the bantamweight division, defeating Rob Font, Cody Garbrandt and Marlon Vera within the past 12 months.

The 36-year-old Brazilian is aiming to become a two-weight-class champion and believes this would ensure a place in the UFC Hall of Fame.

“My main objective right now is to become a double champ,” he explained. “I’m gonna become the champ in this division, and I’m gonna knock him out on my way to the title.

“I think that’s what is gonna give me a title shot, and then I’ll become a double champ and just have to wait for the Hall of Fame induction at the end of my career.”

This Fight Night in China will also feature Chinese favourite Yan Xiaonan taking on Tabatha Ricci in the women’s strawweight division for the co-main event.

Xiaonan (18-4, 1 NC) comes into the match on the back of a unanimous decision loss to compatriot Zhang Weili in a strawweight championship fight at UFC 300 back in April, while Ricci (11-2) is chasing a hat-trick of wins after overcoming Tecia Pennington and Angela Hill in her two matches in 2024 thus far.

“I'm still looking to get in the cage and feel like I’m in the zone, enjoying the fight,” said Ricci, known as ‘Baby Shark’. “I know everybody is good and it's very hard to find a zone when you get to the top of the ranks. I'm still looking for that.”

The rest of the main card features Song Kenan v Muslim Salikhov in the welterweight division; a women’s flyweight fight pitting Wang Cong against Gabriella Fernandes; and two light heavyweight bouts in which Volkan Oezdemir takes on Carlos Ulberg, and Zhang Mingyang faces Ozzy Diaz.

UFC Fight Night: Yan v Figueiredo – Main card

- Main event: Bantamweight: Petr Yan v Deiveson Figueiredo

- Women’s strawweight: Yan Xiaonan v Tabatha Ricci

- Welterweight: Song Kenan v Muslim Salikhov

- Women’s flyweight: Wang Cong v Gabriella Fernandes

- Light heavyweight: Volkan Oezdemir v Carlos Ulberg

- Light heavyweight: Zhang Mingyang v Ozzy Diaz