UFC closes in on 1st-ever Kyrgyzstan event, ex-champion Shevchenko says
UFC would like to stage its first show in Kyrgyzstan, said former flyweight champion Valentina Shevchenko, a move that could bring the world’s biggest mixed martial arts promotion to Central Asia.
Shevchenko said she had already raised the proposal with the organisation’s leadership and had received a positive response.
«I hope the organisers on both sides can reach an agreement, and we will see the UFC in Kyrgyzstan,» she told journalists during the World Nomad Games at Issyk-Kul, as reported by 24.kg.
UFC event in Kyrgyzstan moves closer, but no deal yet
Shevchenko stated that the UFC was «fully interested» in her proposal and urged that it schedule an event as soon as possible. Her comments imply that informal discussions have progressed, though neither UFC president Dana White nor the promotion has publicly announced negotiations.
A Kyrgyzstan card would be the UFC’s first in the country and among the five Central Asian republics. It would also complement the promotion’s expansion into markets with established combat-sports audiences and locally recognised fighters.
Read more: UFC considers events across Central Asia and the Caucasus
In June, reports surfaced that the UFC was considering events in Kyrgyzstan, Uzbekistan, and Kazakhstan as part of a larger regional expansion by 2027. Representatives from Uzbekistan reportedly met with UFC executives to discuss a possible tournament in Tashkent.
The promotion already has a commercial foothold in Kyrgyzstan. In 2025, Bakai Bank became the UFC’s first official partner in Central Asia.
Kyrgyzstan’s welterweight Myktybek Orolbai has built a 16-3-1 professional record, while Uran Satybaldiev competes in the promotion’s light-heavyweight division.
The country’s new 51,000-seat Bishkek Arena could offer a potential stage for a large event, although Shevchenko did not identify a venue. The stadium is also being considered for a possible Shakira concert later in 2026.
Read more: Uzbekistan’s Nursulton Ruziboev loses UFC bout after opponent misses weight
