Welcome back to the Fight Business Podcast, Patrick Auger’s weekly show dedicated to the business-side of mixed martial arts. Subscribe for a new Fight Business Podcast episode every Thursday at midday (ET).
Timestamps:
- 1:01​ – Reported UFC 259 PPV buys estimate and how defeat may impact Israel Adesanya’s star potential
- 17:21​ – PFL & Verdict deal and rise of MMA Fantasy Apps
- 25:53​ – Lawrence Epstein (UFC COO)
The first topic of today’s Fight Business Podcast is the UFC 259 PPV buys estimate and what this means when assessing Israel Adesanya’s current marketability status and his future star potential. Auger comments that it’ll be much more challenging for Adesanya to become a UFC superstar now that he’s experienced his first defeat as one of the two big reasons why fighters become superstars is maintaining an undefeated record.
The UFC 259 PPV buys estimate was reported today by Sports Business Journal. Auger comments on this reported UFC 259 PPV buy estimate and how it compared to his estimate from last week.
Auger then discusses the announcement of PFL’s deal with Verdict MMA. Verdict MMA is a fantasy-style MMA app that allows users to pick winners, earn points, rank up, and score rounds during live fights. PFL plans to integrate this data into its live broadcasts. Auger discusses the larger idea of MMA fantasy apps and sites and what this means for promotions around the world.
Next, Auger shares important notes from the Lawrence Epstein AMA, hosted by Sportico and Sports Innovation Lab. Epstein, the SVP and Chief Operating Officer for the UFC, answered a variety of questions and shared unique insight into the Reebok deal, the promotion’s timeline for UFC Africa, the UFC Academy Combine that took place at the Shanghai Performance Institute, and more.
Subscribe for a new Fight Business Podcast episode every Thursday at midday (ET).