The UFC’s global expansion continues to send shockwaves, with Dana White recently confirming that Asia may be the hottest zone in the game right now. Speaking after UFC Nashville, the UFC CEO casually dropped a headline-worthy fact: UFC Shanghai, set for August 23, sold out in less than a minute. Yes, you read that right.

No flashy promo campaign. No media blitz. Just pure, raw demand from Chinese MMA fans. White’s exact words during the post-fight press conference said it all. “Do you guys know about the China card? Did we say anything publicly? The China card sold out in one minute. Under a minute. Less than a minute. The China card sold out. So, yeah, we’re doing some fun s—.”

In a week when UFC Nashville reportedly sold out the Bridgestone Arena with over 20,000 people, White’s update after UFC Nashville served as a reminder that Asia isn’t just catching up; it’s exploding. And with the Shanghai indoor stadium sold out, it will earn the UFC a massive $846,216 from ticket sales alone.

And the UFC has skillfully stacked the card to justify it all. In the main event, Johnny Walker will face Mingyang Zhang in a five-round fight, a nod to the rising Chinese star and the hometown fans. Meanwhile, the rest of the Shanghai card rests heavily on its overseas firepower.

Michel Pereira faces Marco Tulio in a thrilling middleweight bout, while Sergei Pavlovich returns to put Waldo Cortes-Acosta‘s chin to the test in what promises to be a heavy-handed contest. Beyond the fights, the UFC is expanding its presence in Asia in other ways. Dana White continues to lead the UFC’s strategic effort in the region.

The Road to UFC Season 4 semifinals will take place the day before UFC Fight Night Shanghai, with the continent’s top prospects battling for contracts. That same week, all eyes will be on the UFC Performance Institute in Shanghai, which reflects the UFC’s commitment to building elite athletes in the region, something Dana White has long emphasized.

If UFC Nashville proved the product still thrives stateside, Shanghai just proved the future is global. China not only welcomed the biggest MMA promotion in the world back; it snatched it up in 60 seconds flat. And while the world will have to wait to see Johnny Walker in action, his brother provided a highlight reel finish tonight that earned him a massive bonus.

Dana White hands out massive bonus to UFC Shanghai main eventer Johnny Walker’s brother

Valter Walker didn’t need a main card slot to make an impact in Nashville. In just 54 seconds, he defeated Kennedy Nzechukwu with a vicious heel hook, his third consecutive win via the same submission, and immediately drew Dana White’s notice.

While Johnny Walker prepares to headline UFC Shanghai, his younger brother ensured that the family name was already included in the bonus column. Dana White announced the post-fight bonuses at the UFC Nashville press conference, revealing that Valter Walker’s impressive finish won him Performance of the Night.

The win was more than flashy; it made history. Valter became the first UFC fighter to record three heel hook finishes in a row. With Johnny Walker now carrying the main event banner in Shanghai and Valter making his waves, Dana White may have found MMA’s next dynamic sibling pair. Their styles couldn’t be more different, yet the results speak the same language, and the head honcho certainly noticed.