Las Vegas, Nevada – Fightfi, the company behind Fight.ID, has revealed an expanded partnership with the UFC, the foremost organization in mixed martial arts. This collaboration is set to enhance digital fan engagement within the UFC community through the continued development of blockchain-integrated products and experiences.
Fight.ID, recognized as an official partner of UFC Strike digital collectibles, aims to connect UFC’s expansive global fanbase with the emerging Web3 ecosystem. The company’s roadmap for future developments includes creating a digital identity and loyalty system, a prize pool mechanism designed to offer additional bonuses to fighters, and exclusive premium merchandise within the Fight.ID ecosystem.
To propel this next phase, Fight.ID has successfully closed a new funding round, attracting support from various institutional investors, including Anthos Capital, Aptos Foundation, and Aquanow Ventures, among others. The round has also seen backing from prominent angel investors in the sports and entertainment sectors. Noteworthy supporters include UFC athletes Gilbert Burns, Josh Emmett, Dan Ige, Vicente Luque, Eric Nicksick, Alexandre Pantoja, and Gregory Rodrigues. Additional notable investors comprise Craig Kallman, Chief Music Officer at Atlantic Music Group; NBA veteran Baron Davis; NFL Pro Bowler Cam Jordan; and Yat Siu, Chairman of Animoca Brands.
Funding from this round will be directed toward the development of diverse digital products that incorporate Web3 functionalities. These innovations will focus on digital asset ownership, programmable rewards, and enhanced user interactions, all aligned with the core principles of Fight.ID: Fight Fair, Fight Together, Fight Through, and Fight Forever.
Grant Norris-Jones, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Partnerships at TKO, expressed enthusiasm for the partnership, highlighting UFC’s history of embracing innovation. He stated, “James and his team have proven to be a dynamic and innovative partner for us, and we are extremely excited to support the Fight.ID ecosystem over the next several years.”
The Fight.ID team has been integral to the development of UFC’s digital collectibles over the past three years. This new collaboration will broaden the scope of their efforts, engaging a wider segment of the combat sports community.
James Zhang, Co-Founder and CEO of Fight.ID, emphasized the timeliness of this initiative: “As our world continues to become more digitally enabled, there is no better time than now to invest in blockchain projects. There’s also no better time to become a UFC fan as MMA continues to capture our cultural zeitgeist.” He added, “As fight fans, we have long admired UFC’s grit and innovation. Over the past three years, our teams have developed incredible trust and collaboration in PR, building UFC’s official digital collectibles. It’s time now to expand our offerings to invite all fight fans to join the tribe of digital ownership.”
For further inquiries, individuals can reach out to Robert Winkler at press@fight.fi.
