Crypto.com and the UFC have expanded on their long-term partnership with the launch of an exclusive collection of NFTs.
The line-up of NFTs includes fighter personas, championship belts, fight night artwork, and much more.
Crypto.com enjoyed a fruitful relationship with the UFC before netting the NFT (non-fungible token) deal, inking a $175m contract to become the UFC’s official cryptocurrency partner.
With the NFTs launching on Thursday, the inaugural release will be of the ‘UFC 268 Packs’ which are limited edition collectible champion belts, and event and fighter posters based on UFC 268: Usman v Covington 2, taking place this Saturday.
While fighter pay has been a huge discussion topic in the MMA world with UFC athletes receiving just 18% of the revenue generated, they will receive 50% of the UFC’s revenue from NFT sales.
The UFC’s growth in the last four years has been significant thanks to a TV deal with ESPN. That potential is one reason why Crypto.com did this deal, according to Steven Kalifowitz, Crypto.com’s CMO.
“UFC is the fastest growing sport in the world, and NFTs are simultaneously surging in popularity as fans look for new and unique ways to connect with the sport, the fighters, and the broader UFC community,” he said.
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