UFC To Open Performance Institute In Mexico City To Develop And Support MMA Athletes From Latin America
Viva Mexico!
On February 7th, the UFC announced a major development that will undoubtedly expand its brand awareness and provide an uptick in talent. They plan to open a state-of-the-art training center in the heart of Mexico.
Experts in MMA coaching, strength and conditioning, sports science, physical therapy, and performance nutrition will be available at the new UFC Performance Institute, which will also act as a training base for MMA athletes from Mexico and the larger LATAM region. The multi-million dollar building will be bigger than 32,000 square feet when it is finished, making it roughly the same size as the original UFC Performance Institute in Las Vegas.
“Some of the greatest athletes in combat sports history have come from Mexico,” said UFC President Dana White. “Our teams at the PI are the best in the world at what they do, and we know that by making the resources and training available in the country, Mexico can become one of the greatest sources of MMA talent in the world. This is a massive opportunity for the sport of MMA and athletes throughout Latin America.”
More than 15% of the UFC active roster (150 athletes) are from Latin America. 28 of those athletes, including the current UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, the first UFC champion to be born in Mexico, are from Spanish-speaking nations.
The UFC PI was the first mixed martial arts multidisciplinary research, innovation, and training facility in the world and was established in 2017. Located in Las Vegas, more than 700 athletes on the UFC roster have used the facility or its remote services during its first five years of operation.
The world’s largest, most modern MMA training and development facility was created when UFC opened a second Performance Institute in Shanghai in 2019. The 93,000-square-foot facility in Shanghai, which is almost three times bigger than the one in Las Vegas, acts as a training base for the upcoming generation of mixed martial artists from mainland China and the larger Asia-Pacific region.
To quickly advance the skill level and UFC readiness of mixed martial artists in the region, UFC Performance Institute Mexico will act as a catalyst for athlete development in Latin America. The facility will also plan and carry out talent evaluation events that will give nearby athletes a stage to demonstrate their skills and prowess for a potential MMA career.
More information about the UFC Performance Institute Mexico will be released in the coming months.
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