Meta and the UFC are deepening their relationship with a new deal, expanding the UFC’s presence on Meta’s platforms as Meta becomes the “official fan technology partner” of the combat sports league.
The multi-year partnership, reportedly worth millions, will integrate the UFC across Meta’s portfolio, including Meta AI, Meta Glasses, Meta Quest, Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, and Threads, according to CNBC.
This move follows Dana White’s appointment to Meta’s board earlier this year, a step seen by some as a consolidation of the relationship between Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg and combat sports and an effort to align with a potential second Trump administration, given White’s support for the former president.
The partnership will focus significantly on VR integrations, aiming to provide fans with new access to the octagon. The “fan technology partner” designation suggests Meta will explore hosting UFC events and content within its metaverse environment.
Specifically, Meta’s Threads platform will feature exclusive UFC content and receive mentions during live UFC broadcasts. This emphasis on Threads could challenge X’s dominance in sports discussions, currently fueled by the UFC’s 13 million followers on the platform.
While Threads has struggled to attract sports communities from X due to algorithmic challenges in real-time engagement, Meta’s recent policy changes allowing more political content, combined with UFC stars potentially prioritizing Threads, could shift the landscape.
The UFC has promised additional announcements regarding the partnership in the coming months.
