The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will continue to be the dominant force in global mixed martial arts (MMA) for a very long time.

But what makes the UFC so special and how are its competitors trying to close the gap?

UFC: The face of MMA

While avid fans may be familiar with the complex MMA ecosystem, the wider population typically thinks of MMA in connection with the UFC. The UFC has come a long way from its beginnings in 1993, from being banned in most US states to becoming one of the largest combat sports organizations in the world.

Strategic partnerships are key for any sports organization to grow and increase exposure. With global reach and hardcore fans, the UFC hosts large events all over the world at a pace other MMA organizations cannot keep up with. Partnerships and collaborations with various organizations and platforms in different countries,—such as ADM Sports in the UAE and BT Sports in the UK—have allowed the UFC to dominate viewership levels. The ownership structure of the UFC gives the organization a significant advantage. Since the merger between the WWE and UFC to create TKO Group Holdings, the UFC falls under the ownership of IMG Endeavor. The sports marketing powerhouse allows the UFC to not only further develop its sports media rights partnerships but also new commercial models like toys and video games, which the WWE has been doing successfully for several decades.

The UFC takes young up-and-coming fighters and turns them into superstars, with the most prominent example being Conor McGregor. There are many paths to enter the UFC that give them the edge in talent acquisition, whether it is through a show like The Ultimate Fighter or a lower-level MMA organization such as Cage Warriors in the UK. Becoming a UFC champion is the goal of every fighter entering MMA. The UFC’s global talent pathways have gained it an almost unlimited flow of talented fighters looking to make names for themselves. 

A new challenger appears

The Professional Fighters League’s (PFL) acquisition of Bellator in 2023 sent shockwaves through the MMA fan base, with many wondering what this means for the UFC. The acquisition has given the PFL access to a significant amount of talent, with a roster that is 30% comprised of fighters who are top 25 independently world-ranked in their weight classes, which is the same number as the UFC. The PFL has announced plans for several mega events in 2024, in an effort to become an industry co-leader.

How well do you really know your competitors?

Access the most comprehensive Company Profiles on the market, powered by GlobalData. Save hours of research. Gain competitive edge.

View profiles in store

Company Profile – free sample

Thank you!

Your download email will arrive shortly

Not ready to buy yet? Download a free sample

We are confident about the unique quality of our Company Profiles. However, we want you to make the most beneficial decision for your business, so we offer a free sample that you can download by submitting the below form

By GlobalData

Submit

UK USA Afghanistan Åland Islands Albania Algeria American Samoa Andorra Angola Anguilla Antarctica Antigua and Barbuda Argentina Armenia Aruba Australia Austria Azerbaijan Bahamas Bahrain Bangladesh Barbados Belarus Belgium Belize Benin Bermuda Bhutan Bolivia Bonaire, Sint Eustatius and Saba Bosnia and Herzegovina Botswana Bouvet Island Brazil British Indian Ocean Territory Brunei Darussalam Bulgaria Burkina Faso Burundi Cambodia Cameroon Canada Cape Verde Cayman Islands Central African Republic Chad Chile China Christmas Island Cocos Islands Colombia Comoros Congo Democratic Republic of the Congo Cook Islands Costa Rica Côte d"Ivoire Croatia Cuba Curaçao Cyprus Czech Republic Denmark Djibouti Dominica Dominican Republic Ecuador Egypt El Salvador Equatorial Guinea Eritrea Estonia Ethiopia Falkland Islands Faroe Islands Fiji Finland France French Guiana French Polynesia French Southern Territories Gabon Gambia Georgia Germany Ghana Gibraltar Greece Greenland Grenada Guadeloupe Guam Guatemala Guernsey Guinea Guinea-Bissau Guyana Haiti Heard Island and McDonald Islands Holy See Honduras Hong Kong Hungary Iceland India Indonesia Iran Iraq Ireland Isle of Man Israel Italy Jamaica Japan Jersey Jordan Kazakhstan Kenya Kiribati North Korea South Korea Kuwait Kyrgyzstan Lao Latvia Lebanon Lesotho Liberia Libyan Arab Jamahiriya Liechtenstein Lithuania Luxembourg Macao Macedonia, The Former Yugoslav Republic of Madagascar Malawi Malaysia Maldives Mali Malta Marshall Islands Martinique Mauritania Mauritius Mayotte Mexico Micronesia Moldova Monaco Mongolia Montenegro Montserrat Morocco Mozambique Myanmar Namibia Nauru Nepal Netherlands New Caledonia New Zealand Nicaragua Niger Nigeria Niue Norfolk Island Northern Mariana Islands Norway Oman Pakistan Palau Palestinian Territory Panama Papua New Guinea Paraguay Peru Philippines Pitcairn Poland Portugal Puerto Rico Qatar Réunion Romania Russian Federation Rwanda Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Lucia Saint Pierre and Miquelon Saint Vincent and The Grenadines Samoa San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia Senegal Serbia Seychelles Sierra Leone Singapore Slovakia Slovenia Solomon Islands Somalia South Africa South Georgia and The South Sandwich Islands Spain Sri Lanka Sudan Suriname Svalbard and Jan Mayen Swaziland Sweden Switzerland Syrian Arab Republic Taiwan Tajikistan Tanzania Thailand Timor-Leste Togo Tokelau Tonga Trinidad and Tobago Tunisia Turkey Turkmenistan Turks and Caicos Islands Tuvalu Uganda Ukraine United Arab Emirates US Minor Outlying Islands Uruguay Uzbekistan Vanuatu Venezuela Vietnam British Virgin Islands US Virgin Islands Wallis and Futuna Western Sahara Yemen Zambia Zimbabwe Kosovo

Industry * Academia & Education Aerospace, Defense & Security Agriculture Asset Management Automotive Banking & Payments Chemicals Construction Consumer Foodservice Government, trade bodies and NGOs Health & Fitness Hospitals & Healthcare HR, Staffing & Recruitment Insurance Investment Banking Legal Services Management Consulting Marketing & Advertising Media & Publishing Medical Devices Mining Oil & Gas Packaging Pharmaceuticals Power & Utilities Private Equity Real Estate Retail Sport Technology Telecom Transportation & Logistics Travel, Tourism & Hospitality Venture Capital

Tick here to opt out of curated industry news, reports, and event updates from Sportcal.

Submit and download

Visit our Privacy Policy for more information about our services, how we may use, process and share your personal data, including information of your rights in respect of your personal data and how you can unsubscribe from future marketing communications. Our services are intended for corporate subscribers and you warrant that the email address submitted is your corporate email address.

Another organization making waves in the MMA world is ONE Championship. Based out of Singapore and mainly hosting events in Thailand, ONE Championship is a household name in MMA. While the organization mainly focuses on Muay Thai, claiming to have the world’s best striking fighters, ONE is continually developing its MMA talent. ONE has increased its global presence through social media and strategic partnerships, such as its deal with Sky Sports in the UK.

The future of MMA

While many may wonder what the future holds for global MMA, it is clear that the UFC will be at the forefront of it. The future of MMA is looking bright, with more organizations becoming popular, fighters’ abilities reaching new levels, and global recognition increasing.

However, the UFC’s extensive reach and extremely developed network will keep it at the top of MMA in the foreseeable future. Whether it is the UFC games developed by Electronic Arts or ambitious plans to hold an event in the Las Vegas Sphere, the UFC continues to develop its international empire and it will be a long time before it is dethroned.