(Macao, November 11, 2012) – UFC® MACAO: FRANKLIN vs. LE
came to a close in spectacular fashion late Saturday night, with a magnificent
finish by Cung Le, who delivered a powerful punch to the head that knocked out
challenger Rich “Ace” Franklin midway through the first round. The
highly-anticipated UFCevent –
greater China’s first – didn’t disappoint the full house audience at The Venetian®
Macao, with a 9-bout fight card at the CotaiArena™.
After his decisive win, Le commented, “We were ready for a five-round
battle; you know I just caught him with a punch and that’s what happened. I
feel I represented all Asian people, not just the Chinese, but everyone, all
Asians around the world and I fought my heart out and I got a big win for the
Asian people. The build-up, everything came together, and then when I saw him
go down, I didn’t know what to do. Rich is such a great guy, he’s a friend of
mine and I’m just glad he’s ok.”
Among the live audience of
thousands in attendance at the CotaiArena were a number of international
celebrities, including renowned action movie superstar and mixed martial
artist, Donnie Yen – The Venetian Macao's official ambassador of the UFC Macao
event. Joining Yen was movie actor, director, producer and fellow mixed martial
artist, Daniel Wu.
Universally recognized for its action-packed, must-see events that have
sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the world’s
premier MMA organization intends Saturday night’s fight be the first of many
UFC main events in China. UFC has steadily built a strong following in mainland
China over the last few years, currently counting over 21 million fans. It’s
the most programmed sports league in the country, and UFC fighters are some of
the most-followed athletes on Chinese social media sites.
“Tonight’s event was a historic one for UFC, for The Venetian and for
Macao,” said Edward Tracy, President and Chief Executive Officer, Sands China
Ltd. “It’s our company’s mission to bring the world’s best entertainment events
to Macao, and the exciting display of MMA talent we witnessed tonight is part
of the irresistible appeal of our fully integrated resort city on the Cotai
Strip®. It’s through these types of world-class entertainment events
that Macao will establish itself as a world centre of tourism and leisure.”
Mark Fischer, Executive Vice-President & Managing Director of UFC
Asia, added, “We couldn’t have chosen a better partner or a better venue than
The Venetian Macao. Our two teams worked hand-in-hand to bring the excitement
of UFC to the thousands of fans gathered here tonight, and the millions more
watching at home. UFC’s first major event in China was a phenomenal success,
and I’d like to give my gratitude to the fighters, who all gave 100 percent,
and to everyone at the UFC organisation and at The Venetian Macao. And for all
the UFC fans out there, there’s plenty more where this came from, so stay
tuned!”
Full fight results for all nine bouts of UFC® MACAO: FRANKLIN
vs. LE are available online at www.ufc.com/event/FUEL6/results.
Photo caption:Cung Le sends Rich
“Ace” Franklin reeling with a first-round knockout blow to the head Saturday night at greater China’s first-ever UFC event, held at The
Venetian Macao’s CotaiArena. The near-capacity crowd was treated to an exciting
nine-bout fight card, culminating with the thrilling and eagerly-awaited
headline fight between Franklin and Le.
About the Ultimate Fighting Championship®
Universally recognized for its action-packed, can’t-miss events that
have sold out some of the biggest arenas and stadiums across the globe, the UFC®
is the world’s premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. Owned and
operated by Zuffa, LLC, headquartered in Las Vegas and with offices in London,
Toronto and Beijing, UFC produces more than 30 live events annually and is the
largest Pay-Per-View event provider in the world. In 2011, the UFC burst into
the mainstream with a landmark seven-year broadcast agreement with FOX Sports
Media Group in the USA. The agreement includes four live events broadcast on
the FOX network annually, with additional fight cards and thousands of hours of
programming broadcast on FOX properties FX and FUEL TV. This also includes the
longest-running sports reality show on television, The Ultimate Fighter®, which now airs on FX.
In addition to its reach on FOX, UFC programming is broadcast in over
150 countries and territories, to nearly one billion homes worldwide, in 20 different
languages. The UFC also connects with tens of millions of fans through its
website, UFC.com, as well as social media sites Facebook and Twitter. UFC
President Dana White is considered one of the most accessible and followed
executives in sports, with over two million followers on Twitter. Ancillary UFC
businesses include best-selling DVDs, an internationally distributed magazine,
UFC.TV offering live event broadcasts and video on demand around the world, the
best-selling UFC Undisputed® video game franchise distributed by THQ
and a new franchise in development with EA, UFC GYM®, UFC Fight Club
affinity program, UFC Fan Expo® festivals, branded apparel and
trading cards.
Entertainment at Sands China Ltd.
Properties
Sands
China Ltd. has as a clear vision to establish Macao as Asia’s top entertainment
destination.
The
15,000-seat CotaiArena™ is the only venue in Asia ranked in Pollstar’s Top 100
Worldwide Arena Venues based on ticket sales. It is the top entertainment
destination in southern China, hosting the world’s and the region’s biggest
names in music, sports and awards shows. Superstars frequently choose the venue
as the starting point of their Asian tours.
The
1800-seat, multi-purpose Venetian Theatre is one of the most luxurious
entertainment venues in greater China. Featuring ushers in black-tie, champagne
service, gourmet food and beverage items and other unique, premium amenities,
it offers an intimate, luxurious and exclusive venue experience. The Venetian
Theatre is playing a key role in bringing the best in international and Chinese
entertainment to Macao, with a luxury theatre experience like no other in the
region.
The
650-seat Sands Macao Hotel theatre regularly features internationally-renowned
singers, performers and artists of the highest calibre. From traditional
Chinese-costumed dancers to modern performances, and from singing troupes to
contemporary bands, everything from Western rock to Cantonese pop is covered.
With
an unbeatable diversity, the entertainment offering of Sands China Ltd. is
ushering in a new era of entertainment in Macao.
For more information, please visit www.cotaiticketing.com.