MMA: TikTok strikes deal with UFC to livestream content

CULVER CITY, California: TikTok will livestream content from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) on its short-form video app as part of a multi-year partnership with the mixed martial arts organisation, the Chinese-owned company said on Thursday (Feb 18).

The financial details of the deal were not disclosed.

The agreement includes weekly UFC livestreams that will feature behind-the-scenes footage and interactions with athletes, TikTok said in a blog post.

UFC is the third-most popular sports league on TikTok, with more than 6.3 million followers. The partnership will kick off on Feb 20 with promotional content on the UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs Lewis event.

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The move marks another step by TikTok in generating content around the sports industry after it partnered in October with London-based e-sports organisation Tundra.

The short-video app, known for dancing videos that go viral among teenagers, faces scrutiny in the United States as President Joe Biden's administration reviews former president Donald Trump's efforts to address potential security risks from Chinese tech companies.