By FCF Staff

Just days out from its event in Beijing, China, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has announced it is building a massive, Performance Institute in the nation’s city of Shanghai.

In a press release from the organization, the UFC reported:

UFC Performance Institute Shanghai will serve as a training hub to develop and support MMA athletes from mainland China and the greater Asia-Pacific region. UFC will also utilize the building as its headquarters in Asia, housing UFC employees and UFC Performance Institute staff, including experts in the fields of MMA, strength and conditioning, sports science, physical therapy and nutrition.

UFC Performance Institute Shanghai will also have built-in advanced production capabilities with spectator seating that will allow UFC to produce and distribute live events and other original programming.

Additional features will include hospitality suites, dining, retail services, and a fan experience area. When completed, the multi-million-dollar facility will span more than 93,000 square feet, approximately three times the size of the original UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.

UFC President Dana White was also quoted saying in the announcement:

“I could not be more excited about the UFC Performance Institute opening in Shanghai,” said UFC President Dana White. “We know there is a ton of talent throughout Asia and now we will be able to find them and offer them all the incredible training, nutrition, and physical therapy that UFC fighters are getting in the Performance Institute at our headquarters in Las Vegas, right there in China. This is another game changer for the sport, UFC, and potential athletes throughout Asia.”

Construction of the new Performance Institute will begin in 2019.

OFFICIAL: UFC Performance Institute to open in Shanghai in 2019.

Details: https://t.co/eNxrWapmsR pic.twitter.com/4OBY9ohwiJ

— UFC PI (@UFCPI) November 20, 2018