Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg loves mixed martial arts (MMA) whether he’s watching ringside or actually in the ring himself. He built an octagon at his Hawaiian compound. He’s sparred on a barge and even had surgery to fix some fighting-related injuries. Dana White, CEO of the MMA promotion company, UFC, sits on Meta’s board.
Now, Zuckerberg’s company and the UFC are entering into a “massive partnership,” White announced Wednesday on Instagram. The terms of the deal were not disclosed.
“I love this sport and I’m looking forward to working with the UFC to let fans experience it in new ways,” Zuckerberg said, in a statement.
Meta will become the “official fan technology partner” of UFC, White said on Instagram. Threads, Meta’s X-like app, will become the “official social media partner” of the UFC.
Meta’s full suite of products will be integrated into UFC programming, including other social media and messaging platforms WhatsApp, Instagram, and Facebook, plus products like Meta Glasses, Meta Quest, and Meta AI.
“I’ve had a lot of great partners over the years that have helped us grow this sport, but Mark and his team at Meta are going to do things that will blow away UFC fans,” White said, in the statement.
White also noted that his team has “already started” working with Meta on a “new fighter ranking system.”
“The next few years will be an absolute game changer for fans of this sport,” White added.
For Zuckerberg, participating in the sport has its downsides (besides injury). Last year, Meta named its founder’s love of combat sports a risk factor for the company.
“We currently depend on the continued services and performance of our key personnel, including Mark Zuckerberg,” the company said in a corporate filing. “Mr. Zuckerberg and certain other members of management participate in various high-risk activities, such as combat sports, extreme sports, and recreational aviation, which carry the risk of serious injury and death. If Mr. Zuckerberg were to become unavailable for any reason, there could be a material adverse impact on our operations.”
