Ultimate Fighting Championship
Supply chain thwacking: VeChain’s $100M sponsorship deal with UFC
Blockchain logistics firm the VeChain Foundation has signed a multi-year marketing partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) worth nearly $100 million, becoming the UFC’s first-ever Layer 1 blockchain partner. The UFC is the largest promoter and event organizer for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and VeChain’s marketing assets and brand will be integrated across the UFC in live events, in-arena promotion, social media and other areas. The deal is reportedly worth almost $100 million over a minimum five-year partnership according to an anonymous source quoted by Sports Business Journal. The UFC’s Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships Paul Asencio said the UFC’s sponsorship revenues are up 30% from an already record-breaking 2021 as a result of the deal. The partnership kicks...
Robert Whittaker’s Saturday victory brightens rematch with Nigeria’s Israel Adesanya
In the main event of Saturday’s Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Vegas 24, Robert “The Reaper” Whittaker, the New Zealand-born Australian professional mixed martial artist, scored a convincing 50-45 win on all three judges’ scorecards against Kelvin Gastelum, American professional mixed martial artist in the Middleweight division at the Apex facility in Las Vegas. In the early exchanges, Gastelum was aggressive and took control of the center of the Octagon. It was not what Whittaker wanted, so he quickly countered Gastelum, sending a message with a strong head kick that landed squarely. From then on, Whittaker established some of his dominance in the clash. Not long after, he showed he actually held the wrestling advantage as he took down the former collegiate wrestler and held him dow...
The UFC Launches Music Streaming App to Connect Fighters With Fans
The UFC is diving head-first into subscription-based music streaming with its new venture, UFC Ultimate Sound. In partnership with Norway’s ACX Music, the new platform offers curated mixes, radio, music video content, and more through its mobile app. The venture seeks to create a medium where UFC fighters can connect directly with their fans through a musical lens. Chances are, your next favorite workout mix or pump-up playlist has been curated by a UFC fighter on the platform. “It’s all about bridging a gap between fans and their favorite sport,” said Svein Sorgard, ACX Music’s CEO. “With UFC Ultimate Sound, we can finally connect fans and fighters on a new level. Music brings people together and we’ve given them a place to mee...
President Buhari hails UFC champion Kamaru Usman
President Muhammadu Buhari on Sunday congratulated Kamarudeen Usman on the successful defence of his Ultimate Fighting Championship welterweight title, saying his victory has lifted the spirits of Nigerians despite the gloom COVID-19 pandemic has brought. Buhari’s congratulatory message was contained in a statement made available to journalists by his Special Adviser on Media and Publicity, Femi Adesina. The statement was titled “President Buhari congratulates Kamaru Usman for retaining UFC title”. Usman had earlier in the day retained the title with an emphatic win over Jorge Masvidal. With the victory, Buharu said Usman had reminded the world that good things and great people still come out of Nigeria. He added that the victory further proved that things will get better at the fullness o...
