MIXED martial arts (MMA) coach and fighter Royston Wee will be the first Singaporean to compete in the Ultimate Fighting Championship's (UFC) inaugural show in Southeast Asia on Jan 4.

The 27-year-old will take on Filipino Dave "The Scarecrow" Galera in an intriguing bantamweight showdown at Marina Bay Sands. The event, UFC Fight Night 34, will be headlined by a clash between Jake "The Juggernaut" Ellenberger and Tarec "Sponge" Saffiedine.

Wee, who trains out of local gym Impact MMA and whose record stands at 2-0 (both submissions), will have his hands full against Galera, a 5-0 exponent who hails from the Philippines' highly-reputed martial arts group Team Lakay. He recently won the bantamweight title at the Universal Reality Combat Championship - Philippines' first professional MMA competition.

Tickets can be booked online at www.marinabaysands.com/ticketing, at any Marina Bay Sands box office or SISTIC outlet.