The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and the Professional Fighters League (PFL) have separately announced plans to run new web3 gaming ventures, hinting at a digital revolution for Mixed Martial Arts (MMA). The two leagues will delight players worldwide with UFC’s mobile roster management game and PFL’s fighter-based playable collectibles.
UFC and PFL Web3 Gaming Ventures
UFC has begun exploring the web3 gaming space while PFL, its nearest competitor, has also taken critical steps in creating an immersive digital gaming experience. UFC has collaborated with Concept Labs, a company well-versed in creating fan-driven digital experiences. Concept Labs will help expand digital collectibles in UFC Strike: Fight Camp. The UFC Strike: Fight Camp is a mobile roster management game that aims to engage and delight UFC’s ardent fanbase. In early 2022, UFC launched a set of original UFC Strike collectibles in partnership with Dapper Labs, featuring iconic moments from UFC history and has gathered over 100,000 fans.
On the other hand, PFL has partnered with GameOn, a next-generation fantasy sports platform. This partnership comes after PFL announces a new NFT ticketing system for live events. Further information indicates that GameOn will create a new web3 game based on real-world PFL fighters and events. The CEO of the Professional Fighters League, Pete Murray, has considered its recent alliance with GameOn as an opportunity to strengthen the league’s digital connections with fans globally.
UFC Faces Displacement Risks From PFL
The international diversity of PFL has continued to increase with the recent signing of UFC lineal heavyweight champion, Francis Ngannou. Despite its small size, PFL offers its fighters a fairer percentage of revenue. UFC pays about 20% of the revenue to their fighter, which is relatively low compared to other top sports leagues like the NBA and NFL. These leagues pay approximately 50% to their players. UFC might be caught in a dilemma of maintaining its monopoly over MMA or losing grounds to rival leagues like PFL. The recent technological exploits by both leagues signal a bright future for martial arts. MMA currently boasts over 600 million supporters and has the youngest audience demographic of any sport.
More Like This
