SINGAPORE – Former Chinese NBA superstar Yao Ming was mentioned as a shining example of how Asian fighters can potentially represent their region through Road to UFC. Ming, a former center standing at 7-foot-6 from Shanghai, China, entered the NBA as a first-round pick in the 2002 draft. He quickly became the marquee representative for Asian basketball across the globe, and as a result, elevated interest in the sport across his home country and its neighboring regions.