The biggest mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion in the world, the UFC has reached a multi-year agreement with the Chinese Olympic Committee allowing the country’s best athletes to draw on UFC expertise and use its multi million dollar performance institute in Shanghai.

Since the facility's opening last year, it has brought some of China's best MMA fighters there to train, include the nation's only UFC champion to date, Zhang Weili.

Chinese athletes in sports such as swimming, cycling, speed skating and athletics have already been working with UFC for the past 18 months.

Competitors from the nation will be able to benefit from UFC's strength and conditioning, sports science, physical therapy and nutrition.

"UFC is proud to partner with the Chinese Olympic Committee and be a valuable resource for their athletes," said Kevin Chang, UFC's Asia-Pacific senior vice-president.

"UFC built this (Shanghai) facility to demonstrate its strong commitment to China and to serve elite-level athletes who want to develop their skills and achieve excellence in their respective sports."

The Tokyo 2020 Olympics have been postponed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic and will now conclude six months before Beijing 2022.

"We are delighted to work with the UFC and send elite athletes to the UFC Performance Institute Shanghai to take part in physical and recovery training," the Chinese Olympic Committee said.

"We hope UFC’s scientific training system provides help for Chinese athletes to prepare for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics."