UFC Expansion: Blockbuster Tournaments Planned for Central Asia and Caucasus in 2027
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is targeting an ambitious expansion across Central Asia and the Caucasus with plans under discussion to host events in Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia by 2027.
According to a report by Russian news agency TASS, citing a source close to the negotiations, high-level talks are already underway. An official delegation from Uzbekistan recently met with top UFC executives to discuss bringing the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion to Tashkent.
«An Uzbek delegation met with UFC leadership,» the source revealed. «A tournament for the organisation is being discussed, alongside Zuffa Boxing in the country. Talks are also being held regarding events in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Georgia.»
Tapping into a golden era for regional talent
The timing of this potential expansion aligns with a historic surge of world-class fighters emerging from these nations.
Georgia currently boasts an unprecedented level of dominance in the lighter weight classes, with superstar fighters Ilia Topuria holding the featherweight crown and Merab Dvalishvili reigning as the bantamweight champion. Meanwhile, Kazakhstan has become an MMA powerhouse driven by the meteoric rise of undefeated welterweight contender Shavkat Rakhmonov.
Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan have similarly established a firm footprint in the promotion with rising stars like Nursulton Ruziboev and flyweight mainstay Valentina Shevchenko drawing massive domestic audiences.
The return of Zuffa Boxing
Zuffa Boxing is a long-gestating venture by UFC CEO Dana White, who has frequently expressed a desire to inject the UFC’s highly successful promotional and matchmaking model into the traditional boxing landscape.
Securing an event in Uzbekistan would be a massive coup, given the nation’s status as a global amateur boxing powerhouse, routinely dominating the Olympic Games and AIBA World Championships.
Historically, the UFC has kept its live events in this broader region relatively limited. The promotion has visited Russia three times, headlining cards in Moscow and Saint Petersburg between 2018 and 2019, and traveled to Baku, Azerbaijan for a single event.
