Foxtel Group has initiated a significant new partnership with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), establishing Main Event on Kayo Sports and Foxtel as the exclusive Australian broadcaster for UFC Pay-Per-View (PPV) events.
This collaboration, effective from January 1, 2024, marks a new era for Australian fans of mixed martial arts.
The inaugural PPV event under this deal, UFC 297, is slated for January 21 and will feature Sean Strickland, the reigning UFC middleweight champion, defending his title against South African contender Dricus Du Plessis in Toronto.
Anticipation for the 2024 UFC season is building, with Australian food critic and MasterChef Australia judge Melissa Leong hosting ‘UFC Fight Week’ on January 17. This special, available on Kayo Sports and Foxtel, will see her joined by panellists Tyson Pedro and Dan Hooker, offering insights into UFC 297 and featuring interviews with Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis. The program will be replayed daily leading up to the event.
This expanded alliance enhances Main Event‘s stature as Australia’s premier PPV destination, continuing its legacy since 2008 of presenting top-tier UFC fights and nurturing emerging talent.
Under the terms of this arrangement, those wishing to access UFC PPV events will need to navigate to Main Event via Foxtel or Kayo Sports. However, UFC Fight Pass will still offer live coverage of UFC fights, including Preliminary bouts of PPV events, UFC Fight Night events in full, and a vast array of live and on-demand combat sports content.
Moreover, the partnership promises a comprehensive array of UFC content on Kayo Sports and Foxtel, including UFC Fight Nights, PPV Prelims, UFC Countdown, DC & RC, and select titles from UFC’s Fight Library on ESPN.
UFC’s popularity in Australia, where it first aired in 2008, has been on a steady rise. The sport boasts over 700 million fans globally, with more than 4.3 million in Australia and New Zealand. Notably, it attracts the youngest fan base of any professional sport in Australia, with 48% aged between 18-39.
“We’re excited to strengthen and expand our relationship with the UFC, the fastest growing sport in the world, and 2024 will deliver a line-up of epic battles, kicking on January 21 with UFC 297,”
said Rebecca McCloy, Executive Director of Commercial Sport, Foxtel Group.
“Foxtel and Kayo Sports are the best sports broadcasters in the country and they have backed UFC in Australia since the beginning. Together, we will continue to grow UFC in Australia and they will be the destination for the biggest and baddest fights we put on year-round.”
stated UFC President Dana White.
Further enhancing the excitement, UFC fans can look forward to UFC 298 on February 18, featuring Australia’s own UFC Featherweight Champion Alexander Volkanovski defending his title against Georgian challenger Ilia Topuria in California.
