IMG’s three sports sponsorship trends to watch in 2026 Sport Business Look out for higher demands on AI, more prediction markets and greater sophistication in women’s sport sponsorships next year, says IMG partnerships expert Sam Galet. As we close out 2025 and look ahead to 2026, the sports business landscape is once again at an inflection point. Rightsholders, brands and agencies are all asking the same [...]
MMA in the Olympics? New global body targets Games inclusion Sport Business Mixed-martial arts could be added to the Olympic Games under plans announced today by Asian MMA chiefs. The Asian Mixed Martial Arts Association (AMMA) says it wants to unify the sport under a new world governing body called FIMMA, which will meet for the first time next week. They believe that will boost their chances [...]
UFC chaos as president White meets FBI over suspicious betting allegations Sport Business UFC has been shrouded in chaos and mystery after fighting league president Dana White had to meet with the FBI over alleged suspicious betting. The concerns relate to a fight on the UFC Vegas 110 card between Isaac Dulgarian and Yadier del Valle on Saturday. The featherweight Dulgarian was beaten in the first round despite [...]
McGregor could fight on UFC card hosted by Trump at White House July 16, 2025 Controversial former UFC fighter Conor McGregor could return to the octagon on Donald Trump’s White House card. The US President confirmed this month that he’d been liaising with UFC chief executive and supporter Dana White about creating a 20,000-capacity arena at the White House to stage a UFC card as part of the United States’s [...]
White House to host UFC fight, Trump says July 4, 2025 President Trump has announced that the White House will host a UFC match as part of the 250th anniversary of the United States of America. The grounds of the famed mansion will host a “championship fight”, according to the President, and will be watched live by 20,000-25,000 fans. Trump said at a rally in Iowa [...]
JD Sports: Retailer partners with UFC ahead of London Fight Night March 17, 2025 UK retailer and FTSE 100 giant JD Sports has partnered with fighting organisation UFC in a deal that begins this weekend at London’s Fight Night. The Manchester-headquartered brand forms half of a European partnership, which will see it become a key partner across UFC despite it issuing a profit warning in January. JD Sports forecast [...]
Sport in 2025: A rallying cry to London, Mayor Khan and Londoners January 2, 2025 For at least the past five years it has felt as if London was disappearing off the global sporting stage. The capital may boast the Home of Cricket, 17 professional football clubs and five stadiums with a capacity of over 50,000 but huge sporting events have sought refuge in the likes of Saudi Arabia, the [...]
UFC to return to London in 2025 in UK’s 30th event November 12, 2024 UFC will return to London in 2025 in what will be its 30th event in the United Kingdom, the MMA promotion company announced on Tuesday. UFC Fight Night 254 will take place on 22 March at the O2 Arena in Greenwich in what will be the company’s first event in the UK since UFC 304 [...]