WARNER BROS. DISCOVERY BECOMES THE OFFICIAL HOME OF UFC IN ITALY
From January 2025, the Octagon will land on discovery+ as the streaming platform will show all UFC events live and exclusively in Italy
Milano, 20 December 2024 –
UFC and Warner Bros. Discovery announced that from January 2025, discovery+ will become the official home of UFC in Italy. All UFC main cards and late prelims will be broadcast on Warner Bros. Discovery platforms, which will also feature hundreds of hours of promotional and archive content including original programming such as UFC Countdown and UFC Connected.
With this new multi-year agreement, Warner Bros. Discovery further expands its extensive premium sports offering, which includes other major international events such as every minute of cycling's Grand Tours, tennis Grand Slams Australian Open and Roland-Garros, and the Olympic Games among others. Through its app and streaming platform discovery+, more than 40 UFC events will also be available from January.
Commentary and analysis for each event will be provided by the team of MMA experts led by Alex Dandi, Giacomo Brunelli, Mara Romero Borella and Alessio De Chirico. Eurosport and Eurosport 2 channels will also play an important role, broadcasting dedicated programming including live events, replays, and weekly in-depth reports with extended highlights.
The first UFC event on discovery+ in Italy will be on Saturday, January 11, with UFC FIGHT NIGHT: DERN vs. RIBAS 2. The following weekend will see an eclectic card with two title fights as the lightweight and bantamweight belts are on the line at UFC 311: MAKHACHEV vs. TSARUKYAN 2 on Saturday, January 18. Both events will include special pre-event programming with expert commentary and analysis on discovery+.
UFC has emerged in recent decades as the premier mixed martial arts (MMA) brand in the world, showcasing fighting styles that include elements of boxing, karate, judo and jiu-jitsu, among several other combat sports disciplines.
David Shaw, UFC Executive Vice President, Head of International and Content commented: “Warner Bros. Discovery have proven to be a great partner to UFC in the UK, Ireland, the Netherlands and Spain. They have taken great care to present the sport of MMA and the UFC brand in the best possible way to current and new fans alike. Extending our partnership to Italy will offer our fans in region new and bespoke coverage of our sport across all WBD digital and linear platforms so they won’t miss a minute of action.”
Luca Stacul, Sports Director Italy for Warner Bros. Discovery added: “With this new addition, discovery+ further strengthens its extensive catalogue of international sporting events to offer fans in Italy the world’s premier mixed martial arts events with the biggest global fanbase. Warner Bros. Discovery also broadcasts UFC content in the Netherlands, Spain and the United Kingdom with great success. In addition to continuing to enjoy some of the best boxing events on the international circuit, combat sports fans will be able to follow the best coverage of UFC on discovery+ digital platforms and the Eurosport and Eurosport 2 channels.”
In addition to its UFC coverage in Italy, Warner Bros. Discovery also shows UFC events across Eurosport and its streaming platforms HBO Max in the Netherlands and Max in Spain as well as on TNT Sports and discovery+ in the UK and Ireland as part of its broad international live fight sports offer. Premium sport, such as the UFC, has supported Warner Bros. Discovery's broader strategy to accelerate its global streaming growth, with strong customer acquisition and viewership across such events.
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