The UFC is getting into the world of cryptocurrency with a historic and lucrative partnership. The MMA promotion and Crypto.com have agreed upon a branding deal worth nine figures, according to reports.

Crypto.com is now the official fight kit partner of the UFC. That means the cryptocurrency platform’s logo will be seen on the apparel of those involved in each card, from the fighters to members of their training staff.

It’s the first time the UFC has sold the rights to the gear that fighters wear inside the octagon. The deal is worth $175 million over 10 years, CNBC reports.

“This is a partnership between two companies that are the best at what they do,” said UFC President Dana White. “No company has done more to grow the popularity of combat sports than UFC, and now we’re one of the biggest sports brands on the planet. We can help Crypto.com reach more people around the world through the strength of our brand.”

Over 10 million customers use Crypto.com, according to the company, which allows users to buy and sell cryptocurrencies. It was founded in 2016.

The partnership starts with the biggest MMA event of the year. Scheduled for Saturday in Las Vegas, the trilogy fight between Conor McGregor and Dustin Poirier headlines UFC 264.

UFC fighters won't be paid directly from the deal, a source told ESPN, though the athletes can negotiate individual deals with Crypto.com as paid brand ambassadors.

“It’s a historic moment as the fastest growing cryptocurrency platform joins forces with the fastest growing sport to help accelerate the world's transition to cryptocurrency,” said Kris Marszalek, co-Founder and CEO of Crypto.com. ”This is just the beginning of a long relationship with UFC, and we’re looking forward to what we will build together.”

This marks Crypto.com’s second nine-figure sponsorship deal with a professional sports league over the past 10 days. The platform recently struck a deal with Formula 1 that is worth more than $100 million, according to CNBC.

Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor was the highest paid athlete in the world in 2020 accordig to a Forbes annual list
Mixed martial arts star Conor McGregor was the highest paid athlete in the world in 2020 accordig to a Forbes annual list GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Steve Marcus
RELATED STORIES