The relationship between UFC and Meta is only getting stronger. According to CNBC’s Alex Sherman, the MMA promotion and Facebook’s parent company have reached an agreement that designates Meta as the “official fan technology partner” of UFC. As part of this agreement—which encompasses Meta’s entire portfolio, including Meta AI, Meta Glasses, Meta Quest, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads—the tech giant’s branding will be showcased in the Octagon during UFC events, such as pay-per-view and Fight Night shows. Additionally, Threads will host exclusive UFC content and will be mentioned during live broadcasts. Grant Norris-Jones, head of global partnerships at TKO, stated that Meta is “making a significant investment into our ecosystem.”
“Mark and his team at Meta are going to do things that will blow away UFC fans,” UFC President and CEO Dana White remarked in a statement to CNBC. Meta founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg added, “I love this sport and I’m looking forward to working with UFC to let fans experience it in new ways.” This partnership feels natural, especially considering the preexisting relationship between Zuckerberg and White. Zuckerberg, an MMA enthusiast, has attended numerous UFC events, and White joined Meta’s board of directors this past January.
Sherman pointed out that this new collaboration with Meta is separate from UFC’s ongoing negotiations for its upcoming media rights deal, which are expected to intensify in the coming weeks. UFC’s exclusive negotiation period with its current media partner, ESPN, ends on April 15, and all signs suggest that the MMA league will be exploring the open market for its broadcasting rights. While Meta has not played a significant role in the media rights arena, Zuckerberg’s company has ventured in that direction before, including a 2018 deal to air WWE’s “Mixed Match Challenge” on Facebook Watch, prior to the merger of the pro wrestling promotion with UFC to form TKO.
