UFC and Meta Sign Multi-Year Partnership to Drive Fan Engagement Through Emerging Platforms

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has entered into a multi-year partnership with Meta aimed at enhancing fan engagement across a suite of digital platforms, including Threads, Instagram, and Meta’s wearable technology. The collaboration brings together one of the world’s most prominent sports organisations with a leading technology company, positioning both to capitalise on shifting trends in content consumption and audience interaction.

Announced in April 2025, the partnership will see the UFC expand its use of Meta-owned platforms to deliver behind-the-scenes content, fighter-driven storytelling, and immersive experiences designed to deepen fan involvement. The deal includes integration with Meta's Ray-Ban Meta smart glasses, enabling real-time, first-person perspectives from fighters, trainers, and UFC staff during live events and training camps.

The partnership builds on UFC’s existing presence on Meta’s platforms but represents a formal escalation in strategy, with both companies committing to collaborative content development and platform innovation. While financial terms have not been disclosed, the scale and exclusivity of the deal signal a long-term alignment between the two organisations.

UFC President Dana White said the partnership would enable the organisation to push creative boundaries and connect with its global fan base in more meaningful ways. “We’ve always believed in being first movers when it comes to innovation and media,” White said. “This partnership with Meta allows us to keep evolving and deliver content in ways that weren’t possible just a few years ago.”

For Meta, the partnership aligns with its broader push to establish its suite of apps and devices—particularly Threads and wearable AR technology—as core platforms for live sports engagement. Meta executives have cited the UFC’s highly engaged fan base and digital-first content strategy as a natural fit for piloting new formats and fan experiences.

This collaboration reflects a growing trend in the sports industry where organisations are partnering directly with technology firms to bypass traditional broadcast models and create direct fan relationships. As rights holders seek new ways to monetise engagement, platforms like Threads and augmented reality wearables offer opportunities to deliver premium, behind-the-scenes content and personalised user experiences.

The integration of smart glasses into live sports environments is particularly notable. By capturing real-time, point-of-view footage from fighters or corners, the UFC aims to offer content that is immersive, exclusive, and native to social platforms. This complements broader efforts by Meta to position its hardware not only as lifestyle accessories but as tools for live media creation and interactive fan storytelling.

Commercially, the UFC-Meta partnership presents new inventory for sponsors and advertisers looking to reach younger, tech-savvy demographics through non-traditional formats. It also enables both companies to experiment with monetisation models such as exclusive content tiers, live Q&A sessions, and augmented overlays.

As the sports media landscape continues to evolve, the UFC’s alignment with Meta marks a strategic move to remain at the forefront of fan engagement—leveraging new technologies and social behaviours to maintain relevance and competitive advantage in a crowded global market.