UFC Events Coming to BBC Three

LONDON: BBC Three has partnered with UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) to provide Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) coverage via its streaming platform The Daily Drop, the channel’s live page format and its social media accounts.

The partnership takes effect immediately as UFC fighters arrive in London for UFC Fight Night Silva vs. Bisping. The event will take place on February 27 and will feature nine British athletes, including the main event between Michael Bisping and Brazilian Anderson Silva. In addition to the London event, BBC Three will offer editorial coverage of UFC events within EMEA on an ongoing basis, with a possibility to cover international events.

The Daily Drop is BBC Three’s new platform that offers a daily stream of news and sports content, as well as short films, blog posts and social media and third-party links. BBC Three’s live page format is used for sports coverage and offers users video, audio, stats and more.

Alongside BBC Three’s live and social media coverage, it will produce short films and content on MMA, as well as programming about UFC athletes such as Conor McGregor, Holy Holm, Ronda Rousey and Michael Bisping.

Damian Kavanagh, controller at BBC Three, commented: “BBC Three has a history of covering emerging sports that appeal to young audiences in new ways, and our coverage of UFC will be no different.”

He added: “We already offer sport on The Daily Drop and it’s right we cover one of the fastest growing and most talked-about sports in the world, which has millions of fans in the U.K., all in a BBC Three way. The deal is mutually beneficial and demonstrates how BBC Three can experiment with new types of content, from new partners, in new ways.

“Last year we made a documentary featuring MMA and offered live coverage of League of Legends from Wembley, with both well received by younger audiences, so in the spirit of innovation, we welcomed the chance to work with the UFC.”

James Elliott, UFC EMEA’s general manager and VP, stated: “We are thrilled to be recognized as a valuable asset for BBC Three. Audiences across the U.K. and Ireland are becoming more and more knowledgeable about the skill, athleticism and ethics of MMA fighters and the great events and content produced by the UFC, which is driving fans to seek content from media outlets.”

Elliott continued: “BBC Three is a perfect fit for UFC and we look forward to an exciting year working together to bring great content to their audiences.”