UFC To Open Performance Institute In Mexico City To Develop And Support MMA Athletes From Latin America
UFC, the world’s premier Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) organization, today announced plans to open a state-of-the-art MMA training and development facility in Mexico City in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The UFC Performance Institute will feature experts in the fields of MMA coaching, strength and conditioning, sports science, physical therapy and performance nutrition, and will serve as a training hub to develop and support MMA athletes from Mexico and the greater LATAM region. When completed, the multi-million-dollar facility will span more than 32,000 square feet, approximately 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 for athletes throughout Latin America.”
More than 150 athletes from Latin America are currently on the UFC active roster- more than 20% of the total. 66 of those athletes are from Spanish-speaking countries, featuring 28 from Mexico, including current UFC flyweight champion Brandon Moreno, the first-ever Mexican-born UFC champion.
UFC Performance Institute Mexico will serve as a catalyst for athlete development in Latin America, aiming to rapidly accelerate the skill level and UFC-readiness of mixed martial artists in the region. A full MMA coaching staff will implement a sport-specific training system developed in consultation with UFC Performance Institute coaches and trainers from around the world. The facility will also organize and conduct talent evaluation events that will offer local athletes a platform to showcase their skills and abilities for a potential career in MMA.
UFC opened the first Performance Institute in Las Vegas in 2017 as the world’s first Mixed Martial Arts multi-disciplinary research, innovation, and training center. Through the first five years of operation, over 700 athletes on the UFC roster have utilized the facility or its remote services. In addition, hundreds of athletes from the NFL, NBA, NHL, MLB, as well as the Olympics and college sports, have visited the facility for support during their off-season training. In 2019, UFC opened a second Performance Institute in Shanghai, now the world’s largest, state-of-the-art MMA training and development facility. Nearly three times as large as the Las Vegas facility, the 93,000 square-foot facility in Shanghai serves as a training hub to develop and support the next generation of MMA athletes from mainland China and the greater Asia-Pacific region.
Additional details regarding UFC Performance Institute Mexico will be announced in coming months.
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