The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has teamed up with Dapper Labs to launch its Non-Fungible Token (NFT) collectible product, UFC Strike.

Debuting initially as an open drop of 200,000 packs, from 23 January, MMA fans will be able to virtually own key fight moments in the history of the competition. 

“Dapper Labs is an innovator in this field, creating an industry that didn’t exist a few years ago,” commented UFC Senior Vice President of Global Consumer Products Tracey Bleczinski

“Their vision for the potential of these products is the reason UFC chose Dapper Labs as its first NFT partner. We’re thrilled to finally be able to offer these amazing digital collectibles to enrich the UFC experience for our fans.”

UFC Strike will start with a first round of 100,000 ‘fully loaded’ packs, consisting of three NFT moments from UFC fighters like Francis Ngannou, Amanda Nunes, Kamaru Usman, Rose Namajunas, Derrick Lewis and Justin ​​Gaethje, to name a few.

The mixed martial arts organisation has stated that these NFT Moments will include ‘the best action shots from multiple camera angles, announcer commentary and crowd response from actual fights’ in a first for Dapper Labs, aiming to bring the experience to life for fans. 

Moreso, it will also involve additional features like a peer-to-peer marketplace for fans to connect, buy, and sell their moments. Dapper Labs is also the maker of NBA Top Shot and NFL All Day.

Caty Tedman, Head of Partnerships at Dapper Labs, noted: “Dapper Labs has accelerated the move to Web3 by building new apps and platforms that enable great user experiences for millions of fans. 

“Partnering with UFC, one of the fastest growing sports in the world, with a global fan base of more than 625 million people, is the next step to bringing even more into experiencing the benefits of decentralisation while also delivering a meaningful experience for die-hard UFC fans to collect and own the moments that matter to them.”

In accessing the collection, the UFC website has made available a queue to buy packs at $50.00 USD, whilst the experience will also include additional drops in line with the event calendar.

Furthermore, according to MMA journalist Aaron Bronsteter, UFC athletes will receive half of the UFC’s share of revenue from NFT sales, in a move that will be welcomed by many championing increased fighter pay within the sport. 

Heavyweight king Francis Ngannou has also signed on as brand ambassador for the firm, with it mapping out further plans to engage with UFC athletes and build fan engagement through relationships with athletes.

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