UFC FIGHT PASS® SIGNS SHOOTO JAPAN TO EXCLUSIVE LIVE-EVENT AND ON-DEMAND CONTENT DEAL
WORLD’S OLDEST MMA PROMOTION DEBUTS LIVE EVENT ON DIGITAL-STREAMING SERVICE THIS WEEKEND
Las Vegas, Nevada – UFC FIGHT PASS® announced today a multi-year agreement with SHOOTO Japan, adding the iconic promotion to its ever-growing live-event and on-demand catalogue.
SHOOTO Japan is widely considered the world’s oldest mixed martial arts organization. Founded in 1985 by retired Japanese pro-wrestling legend Satoru “Tiger Mask” Sayama, SHOOTO Japan promoted its first professional show in 1989. Since then, some of the biggest stars in MMA history have competed on its cards, including UFC® icons Anderson Silva, Dan Severn, Nick Diaz, Matt Hughes and Takanori Gomi.
“We’re excited to announce our deal with the historic SHOOTO Japan organization,” said Eric Winter, UFC Senior Vice-President and UFC FIGHT PASS General Manager. “SHOOTO Japan also joins sister promotion SHOOTO Brazil in our ever-expanding library. Featuring exclusive UFC cards and live events from some of the biggest combat sports promotions around the world, UFC FIGHT PASS represents unbeatable value for fight fans.”
SHOOTO Japan will stream its first live event on UFC FIGHT PASS on Saturday, April 23 at 2 a.m. ET / Friday, April 22 at 11 p.m. PT.
The card will feature two SHOOTO title fights, headlined by 125lbs champion Masaaki Sugawara defending his belt against Hiromasa Ogikubo. In the co-main event, bitter rivals Koshi Matsumoto and Yuki Kawana will rematch for the vacant 155lbs championship.
In addition to streaming live SHOOTO Japan events, UFC FIGHT PASS has also acquired the rights the vast SHOOTO Japan fight library. This includes the legendary Vale Tudo Japan super-shows, which have featured iconic fighters like Rickson Gracie, Dan Severn, Frank Shamrock and Randy Couture.
UFC FIGHT PASS will begin the process of uploading SHOOTO Japan’s fight library later this year. Further details regarding available fights and events will be made in the coming months.
UFC FIGHT PASS is available on personal computers, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV and Roku devices.
5TH ANNUAL UFC INTERNATIONAL FIGHT WEEK™ INCLUDES HISTORIC UFC® 200 AND LARGEST UFC FAN EXPO® EVER
Landmark week highlights three events in three nights; Event ticket on-sale dates announced
Las Vegas – UFC® today announced that the 5th Annual UFC International Fight Week™, the world’s largest celebration of combat sports, will be capped off by the third and final day of UFC Fan Expo® at the Las Vegas Convention Center. UFC International Fight Week will take place from Tuesday, July 5 – Sunday, July 10.
UFC International Fight Week will also feature three events in three nights, headlined by the landmark UFC 200®: DIAZ vs. McGREGOR 2 on Saturday, July 9 at T-Mobile Arena.
The trio of events begins on Thursday, July 7, with a matchup for the world lightweight championship, with UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DOS ANJOS vs. ALVAREZ, at MGM Grand Garden Arena and airing exclusively on UFC FIGHT PASS®. On Friday, July 8, The Ultimate Fighter® Finale main event will showcase UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk in a title defense against top-ranked contender Claudia Gadelha at MGM Grand Garden Arena.
Tickets for each event will go on-sale:
UFC 200®: DIAZ vs. McGREGOR 2: Friday, April 29 – 10 a.m. PT
UFC Fan Expo®: Friday, April 29 – 12 p.m. PT
UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: DOS ANJOS vs. ALVAREZ: Friday, May 6 – 10 a.m. PT
The Ultimate Fighter® Finale: Friday, May 6 – 12 p.m. PT
For the first time in UFC history, UFC Fan Expo has expanded to three days to offer fight fans unparalleled access to UFC champions, top-ranked contenders, UFC Hall of Famers, celebrities, legendary fighters and Octagon Girls®, while offering numerous interactive and immersive activations. UFC Fan Expo will take place from Friday, July 8 – Sunday, July 10.
With more than 600,000 square feet, fans will have the unique opportunity to engage with a record-number of athletes during autograph and photo sessions or participate in activities conducted by UFC partners including: Reebok, EA Sports, Bud Light, Harley-Davidson®, Toyo Tires®, Monster Energy and UFC GYM®.
UFC Fan Expo will also include amateur martial arts tournaments from various disciplines, providing hours of amateur competition featuring athletes from around the world.
UFC International Fight Week will feature the 2016 UFC Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony, a UFC Reebok Experience and the Ulti-man 5k, as well as numerous fan events throughout Las Vegas the entire week.
The UFC International Fight Week app will be the official destination for the most current list of scheduled events. The app is scheduled to launch in June.
Tickets for UFC Fan Expo will be offered in various packages, with three-day passes beginning at $75 online. Two-day passes begin at $65, while one-day passes are $45. Fans can also purchase VIP elite packages for $300 or VIP ultimate packages for $3,000. *Events are subject to change.
UFC FIGHT PASS® ADDS
CAGE WARRIORS FIGHTING CHAMPIONSHIP
TO EVER-EXPANDING LIBRARY
FIRST LIVE EVENT STREAMS ON UFC FIGHT PASS® APRIL 15
Las Vegas, Nevada – UFC FIGHT PASS® announced today a multi-year agreement with Cage Warriors Fighting Championship (CWFC), further bolstering the digital-streaming service’s live event and on-demand programming.
The UK-based promotion is now the ninth live-event offering on UFC FIGHT PASS, joining promotions BRACE MMA, Eddie Bravo Invitational, GLORY SuperFight Series, Invicta FC, Pancrase, SHOOTO Brazil, Titan FC and Victory FC.
Originally debuting in 2002, CWFC has been home to some of the biggest names in mixed martial arts. Among the athletes to compete under its banner are current UFC® featherweight champion Conor McGregor, UFC strawweight champion Joanna Jedrzejczyk, Michael Bisping, Gegard Mousasi and Dan Hardy.
“We are thrilled to add Cage Warriors to UFC FIGHT PASS’ ever-growing combat sports library,” UFC Senior Vice President and UFC FIGHT PASS General Manager Eric Winter said. “Cage Warriors has long been a staple of European and Middle Eastern MMA and now adds a new layer to UFC FIGHT PASS’ incredible lineup.”
CWFC will stream its first event on UFC FIGHT PASS on Friday, April 15 at 4 p.m. ET/1 p.m. PT. The six-fight card will see Jack Hermansson defend the CWFC middleweight title against Alan Carlos. Sporting an 11-2 record, Hermansson holds a victory over UFC veteran Karlos Vemola. A Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt, Carlos is 12-8 as a professional and has won five of his last six outings.
“This is great news for all us European and Middle Eastern MMA fans,” said Cage Warriors President Graham Boylan. “I love this sport and UFC has been the primary driver of the explosion of MMA popularity around the world. By working together on UFC FIGHT PASS we are going to grow this sport together. To date, 70 CWFC fighters entered the UFC, including our two-division CWFC champ Conor McGregor. Who is the next Conor out there? Together, let’s go find out.”
UFC FIGHT PASS will begin the process of uploading Cage Warriors’ fight library later this year. Further details regarding available fights and events will be made in the coming months.
UFC FIGHT PASS is available on personal computers, Xbox 360, Xbox One, Amazon Fire TV, iPhone, iPad, Apple TV, Android, Chromecast, Samsung Smart TV, LG Smart TV and Roku devices.
UFC MAKES HISTORY WITH ANNOUNCEMENT OF MAJOR EVENT AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN IN NEW YORK ON NOVEMBER 12
Second event to be announced for Upstate New York by end of 2016
Las Vegas – Following today’s landmark bill signing by Governor Andrew Cuomo to legalize and regulate professional mixed martial arts (MMA) in New York, UFC® announced that it will host a major Pay-Per-View event at Madison Square Garden on Saturday, November 12.
Additionally, UFC will be adding another live event in Upstate New York before the end of the year. The organization has pledged four events per year for the first three years after passage of the bill. The events will be held in Upstate cities such as Buffalo, Rochester, Syracuse, Utica, and Albany, in addition to Madison Square Garden and the Barclays Center.
Today’s bill signing and event date announcements cement mixed martial arts’ incredible future in the state of New York, and reaffirm UFC’s commitment to a market that is home to many top stars including former UFC champions Jon Jones, Chris Weidman and Rashad Evans, and countless other title contenders.
“I want to thank Governor Andrew Cuomo, Assembly Majority Leader Joseph Morelle, Senator Joe Griffo and the many other leaders in the state of New York for legalizing and regulating the sport of mixed martial arts,” said UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta. “Our commitment to bringing incredible live events to New York starts immediately, as we’ve planned a major Pay-Per-View event at Madison Square Garden on November 12. It’s going to be a historic, monumental moment for this sport and our passionate fans when the Octagon finally arrives in New York.”
"Today marks a great day for both MMA fans and New York," said Joel Fisher, executive vice president, Marquee Events and Operations, The Madison Square Garden Company. "We think it’s only fitting that the first UFC event is taking place at The World’s Most Famous Arena and look forward to these world-class athletes becoming part of The Garden’s storied history.”
Further information about the upcoming live event at Madison Square Garden will be announced in the weeks to come.
APRIL 25 CASTING CALL FOR SEASON 24 OF
THE ULTIMATE FIGHTER® CANCELED
Las Vegas – UFC® announced today that the open casting call for the upcoming season of The Ultimate Fighter® originally scheduled for April 25 in Las Vegas has been canceled. UFC apologizes for any inconveniences this cancelation has caused.
More information about the next season of the show will be made available in the weeks to come.
