UFC targeting events in Russia, South Korea, Scotland and more in 2015

After emphasizing their intent for global expansion over the past year, it appears the UFC will continue to implement that plan heading into 2015.

According to the Las Vegas Review-Journal, the UFC is targeting 23 foreign events in the coming year, including potential stops in Russia, South Korea and Scotland. While none of these events have been confirmed as of yet, they have all been mentioned in passing at varying points throughout 2013.

"As we grow as a business, we're moving from a fight promoter to a world-renowned sports media and entertainment company," Cook told the Las Vegas Review Journal.

The decision to move into Russia is a particularly interesting one, as it is a location that UFC President Dana White predicted the promotion would debut in in 2013. Midway through 2014, however, he backtracked and stated that the promotion was "not as far along on Russia as I thought we would be."

Since then, the UFC managed to negotiate a television broadcast deal on free TV to deliver UFC programming to over 50 million homes.

Cook first mentioned the deal on The MMA Hour last month.

"We're just about to announce a television deal in Russia. 55 million households. We've never done an event in Russia. The growth is all of that, a global business is how you make sure you create relevant content in the U.S., relevant content for all the other markets, creating more content, creating local heroes, national fame."

While Cook referred to China, India and Russia as the UFC's "new global markets," he also told the Journal that there is interest in future events in Sub Saharan Africa starting with South Africa.