The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world's premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, is expanding its blockchain footprint. On January 20, 2022, Dapper Labs, the creator of the Flow blockchain and NBA Top Shot, announced a strategic partnership with the UFC to launch a new non-fungible token (NFT) collection called “UFC Strike.” The first drop is scheduled for Sunday, January 23, 2022, allowing MMA fans to own iconic moments from UFC history as digital collectibles.
Background: UFC’s Growing Crypto Engagement
Since its founding in 1993, the UFC has amassed over 625 million fans worldwide, broadcasting events to 900 million households across 175 countries. The organization dipped into the cryptocurrency space in July 2021 by partnering with Crypto.com as its first-ever global fan token platform. Shortly after, the UFC released its debut NFT collection centered around UFC 268: Usman vs. Covington 2. Now, the UFC is deepening its NFT strategy by collaborating with Dapper Labs, a proven leader in the digital collectibles space. Dapper Labs’ NBA Top Shot has generated $776.49 million in all-time sales with over 492,000 traders, setting a precedent for sports-oriented NFT platforms.
UFC Strike: Details and Pricing
According to the official announcement, the “UFC Strike” launch will begin with an open drop of 200,000 total packs. The first round will offer 100,000 “Fully Loaded” packs, each containing three NFT “Moments” that capture unforgettable finishes, striking, and grappling displays from UFC fighters. Featured athletes include heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou, women’s bantamweight champion Amanda Nunes, welterweight champion Kamaru Usman, strawweight champion Rose Namajunas, heavyweight knockout artist Derrick Lewis, and former interim champion Justin Gaethje, among others. Each pack is priced at $50, available on a first-come, first-served basis until sold out. Fans can join a queue on the official website ufcstrike.com to purchase packs.
UFC Executive: Dapper Labs Is an Innovator
Tracey Bleczinski, UFC’s senior vice president of global consumer products, commented: “Dapper Labs is an innovator in this field. Their vision for the potential of these products is the reason UFC chose Dapper Labs as an NFT partner. We're thrilled to finally be able to offer these amazing digital collectibles to enrich the UFC experience for our fans.” Dapper Labs added that as UFC Strike evolves in the coming months, the platform will include additional drops aligned with the UFC event calendar, and a peer-to-peer marketplace for fans to buy, sell, and trade their Moments.
Industry Reaction and Significance
Sports business analyst Joe Pompliano noted on Twitter: “After finding success with NBA Top Shot, Dapper Labs launched a digital collectibles platform with the NFL. And now they are expanding into the UFC, with 'UFC Strike' set to release its first set of NFTs this weekend. Every sports league will eventually do this.” This collaboration marks a significant step for the UFC in digitalizing its brand and engaging its massive fan base through blockchain technology. As one of the most popular sports organizations globally, the UFC’s entry into NFTs could accelerate mainstream adoption of digital collectibles among combat sports enthusiasts.