UFC launches 'Strike' NFT marketplace with Dapper Labs - SportsPro

Getty Images

• Dapper Labs has created NFT platforms for NBA, NFL and LaLiga
• Blockchain startup was valued at US$7.6bn in September

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced the launch of the ‘Strike’ non-fungible token (NFT) marketplace in collaboration with blockchain technologies company Dapper Labs.

The financial details of the partnership have not been disclosed, but Sportico reports that profits from the NFTs will be split equally between the UFC and athletes.

Priced at US$50 each, the UFC’s NFTs will feature iconic moments and highlights. The mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion has confirmed the digital collectibles will feature some its biggest stars, including Francis Ngannou, Amanda Nunes, Kamaru Usman, Rose Namajunas, Derrick Lewis and Justin Gaethije.

The first drop will consist of 200,000 total NFT packs, each containing three highlights, with the first 100,000 made available from 23rd January following the UFC 270 pay-per-view event. Striker Marketplace users will be able to buy and sell their NFTs through the new platform.

These ‘Fully Loaded’ packs will feature action images from numerous camera angles, fight commentaries and crowd responses. The additional content, made available because of the UFC’s in-house production unit, mark a first for Dapper Labs in terms of utilising these extra aspects in NFT products.

The UFC will reveal more drops in the coming months, with new collections being released to correspond with the promotion’s event calendar.

“Dapper Labs is an innovator in this field, creating an industry that didn’t exist a few years ago,” said Tracey Bleczinski, senior vice president of global consumer products at the UFC.

“Their vision for the potential of these products is the reason UFC chose Dapper Labs as its first NFT partner.  We’re thrilled to finally be able to offer these amazing digital collectibles to enrich the UFC experience for our fans.”

Caty Tedman, head of partnerships at Dapper Labs, added: “Dapper Labs has accelerated the move to Web3 by building new apps and platforms that enable great user experiences for millions of fans.

“Partnering with UFC, one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with a global fan base of more than 625 million people, is the next step to bringing even more into experiencing the benefits of decentralization while also delivering a meaningful experience for die-hard UFC fans to collect and own the moments that matter to them.”

The partnership with the UFC expands Dapper Labs’ portfolio of partners in the NFT space, which also includes the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the National Football League (NFL). Having created the NBA’s Top Shot and the NFL’s All Day NFT marketplaces, the digital collectibles company is also set to launch a similar platform for Spanish soccer’s top-flight LaLiga this year.

In September, the Canadian NFT company was valued at US$7.6 billion, following a US$250 million funding round led by global investment manager Coatue.