Crypto.com has announced its exciting partnership to co-present the historic UFC Freedom 250 event at the White House on June 14, an occasion that celebrates America’s 250th birthday. This groundbreaking event is noted to have the largest-ever fighter bonus pool in UFC history, amounting to an impressive $1 million, which will be distributed to selected fighters in CRO tokens.
With the recent trading price of CRO tokens above $0.068, the bonus pool translates to approximately 14.6 million CRO tokens, significantly enhancing the stakes for the fighters participating in the event. UFC President and CEO Dana White expressed his enthusiasm, stating, “This is the most historic sporting event in history, and it’s a night where every single fight has the potential to be Fight of the Night. Crypto.com is giving fighters the biggest bonus in UFC history, with $1 million on the line. The world will be watching on June 14.”
The main event is set to feature a thrilling matchup between lightweight champion Ilia Topuria and interim champion Justin Gaethje. Additionally, former two-division champion Alex Pereira aims for an unprecedented third UFC title as he faces Ciryl Gane. The event will be broadcasted in the United States on Paramount+, coinciding with the 10th anniversary of Crypto.com.
Kris Marszalek, co-founder and CEO of Crypto.com, emphasized the significance of the event, stating, “I can think of no better way to celebrate the 10th anniversary of Crypto.com than by making history at the White House. We are humbled to join our long-standing partners at the UFC and serve as co-presenting partner of Freedom 250—an event that transcends sport.”
The collaboration between Crypto.com and UFC began in 2021 when the crypto exchange became the sport’s first Official Fight Kit Partner. Their partnership has since expanded into various domains, including official UFC digital collectibles, or NFTs, through the Crypto.com platform. In addition to this, UFC has aligned with VeChain for blockchain technology and has launched a licensed FIGHT token on both the Solana and BNB chains.
Moreover, UFC has partnered with prediction market giant Polymarket, which recently gained notoriety when one trader turned a $500 bet into a $252,000 payout after capitalizing on an incorrect fight outcome announced during a broadcast.
Crypto.com has also formed connections with Trump Media & Technology Group, collaborating on a series of crypto ETF offerings and integrating CRO across platforms like Truth Social and Truth+. This strategic alliance has included efforts to amass CRO tokens and develop a prediction market initiative, further intertwining the worlds of cryptocurrency and combat sports.
