Look around most gambling conferences in 2026 and you will most likely find several big brands working with mixed martial arts fighters or companies. Whether brand ambassadors or commercial partners, iGaming is increasingly becoming linked with professional fighting organisations owing to the meteoric rise in mass interest over the last two decades.
Indeed, the UFC’s revenue has exploded to $936.9m in the six months to June 30 2026. That’s compared to around $45 million in the whole of 2001. TKO Group, the parent company of UFC formed in 2023 through its merger with WWE, said that this is primarily driven by a boost to media rights, commercial partnerships and product licensing revenues.
Ultimately, it points to a sport that has more eyeballs on it than ever before. UFC Freedom 250, the event that took place at the White House this year, was one of the most-watched events in MMA history with 34 million global viewers. For a sport that has spent much of its time as a niche, being held at the home of the free world represents a catapult into the mainstream rarely replicated by any other smaller cultural artefact.
Why do people like MMA?
Watching men fight may seem primitive to some. People have been watching combat throughout all of recorded history, from ancient Greece to the Roman Empire, right through the Middle Ages and to the 21st Century with boxing. Yet boxing is heavily regulated. MMA evokes a more open combative style than boxing; modern audiences appear to revel in it.
“You’re standing in the cage and you’ve got two options – you can quit or you can continue going, and I’m not a quitter,” said UFC Hall of Famer Rich Franklin.
“The knowledge that everything good can be taken away at any second is what makes me work so hard,” added Ronda Rousey.
It points towards a sport that is the ultimate one-versus-one battle, a direct test of human athleticism and drama. The momentum of a fight can change in one moment; a small lapse in concentration can result in disaster.
That drama is keeping consumers hooked and coming back for more. The nature of UFC’s broadcast contracts amplify this; the organisation has a seven-year media rights agreement with Paramount worth a reported $7.7 billion, while it operates on a pay-per-view model in other territories, drawing strong revenues and D2C relationships.
A new era of superstars
The increased popularity of mixed martial arts is creating a wave of new celebrities, making fighters as popular as some of the biggest boxing names of the 20th Century.
Conor McGregor has over 47 million followers on Instagram alone, with his long-time rival Khabib Nurmagomedov also having more than 40 million followers. A select number of popular fighters with large followings include: Ilia Topuria (20 million); Ronda Rousey (17.5 million) Islam Makhachev (10.5 million) and Khamzat Chimaev (9.7 million).
These names have popularity on a scale not seen by previous generations of mixed martial artists. It creates a celebrity factor around these names, which, in turn, creates commercial opportunity.
MMA as a commercial opportunity
As mentioned, TKO Group has reported continual surges in revenue in the last several years. In H1 ’26, UFC generated almost $90 million in revenue from partnerships alone; it has over 100 commercial partners.
That doesn’t account for commercial agreements that individual fighters agree with companies, either.
One company that has aligned itself with the rise of MMA is 1xBet; a sportsbook and casino brand that has Conor McGregor as a brand ambassador.
Simon Westbury, Strategic Advisor at 1xBet, explained that the partnership was a strong example of how athlete-driven UFC is compared to team sports.
“Fans follow individual careers, fighting styles, rivalries, setbacks and comebacks, which gives athlete partnerships greater storytelling potential than conventional logo placement,” Westbury explained.
“McGregor was selected for his historic sporting achievements, global recognition and contribution to MMA’s international growth. He was the first athlete in UFC history to hold championships in two divisions simultaneously and remains one of the sport’s most recognisable figures.
“The partnership is focused on his sporting significance and relevance to adult MMA audiences. As with any high-profile sponsorship, individual activations are considered against legal, audience and reputational factors.”
UFC also has a global audience, with events taking place in 25 countries across six continents. The sport is also broadcast in more than 160 countries worldwide.
For a brand like 1xBet, which holds more than 35 local licenses worldwide, that global exposure is particularly valuable.
“Global recognition provides the platform, but local relevance creates the connection,” Westbury added.
“We develop a consistent international campaign idea and then adapt the language, content format and media distribution to the market. MMA fans may follow the sport globally, but they often connect most strongly with athletes and stories that reflect their country, region or sporting culture.
“That is one reason 1xBet works with athletes who bring different levels of global and regional relevance, from internationally recognized figures such as Conor McGregor to established and emerging fighters such as Jiří Procházka and Carlos Prates.”
While the demographics of the UFC audience can overlap with 1xBet’s target demographic – digitally native people aged 21-35 – that does not necessarily mean that all UFC fans are 1xBet customers.
The company says it is aware of its duty to market itself in a responsible manner, ensuring it doesn’t target underage or vulnerable customers.
As Westbury noted: “MMA has a strong following among digitally active adults who follow live sport, consume short-form content and participate in online discussion. Its audience is also increasingly international and diverse.
“For 1xBet, however, the relevant overlap is not simply a broad demographic category. It is adults of legal betting age who are interested in live competition, sporting analysis and interactive digital experiences in markets where our services and marketing are permitted. That does not mean every MMA fan is a potential customer. The appropriate commercial audience is narrower than the sport’s overall following.”
MMA is taking place throughout the next few weeks, with ample opportunity for 1xBet to raise its brand awareness amongst its target users in regulated markets.
But what does success look like? And why does 1xBet continue to align itself with MMA?
“We assess qualified adult reach, engagement, brand association, media impact and, where permitted, traffic and customer acquisition in eligible markets,” said Westbury.
“A campaign succeeds only if it strengthens 1xBet’s credible connection with MMA, delivers measurable value and meets compliance and responsible marketing standards.”
The global MMA market is currently valued at around $4.1 billion and is estimated to rise to more than $6 billion in the next decade. With more fans and more highly engaged fans flocking to the sport each year, there is continued opportunity for responsible marketers and sponsors to align their brands with a fast-growing sport amongst digitally-native users, many of which will reach ages where they have more disposable income.
Those brands who can create campaigns that resonate in a socially responsible manner will be those who grow fastest in the next decade as MMA continues on its growth trajectory.
