Sky Sports enters the MMA scene by partnering with ONE Championship for exclusive broadcasts in the UK & Ireland, debuting with 'ONE Fight Night 18' on January 13th to directly challenge TNT Sports' UFC coverage.
Sky Sports to Broadcast ONE Champ from 2024
Sky Sports has forged a groundbreaking exclusive partnership with ONE Championship, a leading martial arts organisation, to broadcast events and programming in the UK and Ireland. This move signifies Sky Sports' strategic entry into the world of mixed martial arts (MMA) coverage, a domain predominantly occupied by TNT Sports (formerly BT Sport) with its UFC coverage.
Chatri Sityodtong, Chairman and CEO of ONE Championship, expressed his enthusiasm for the partnership: "Our UK fans have long desired ONE's presence on a major regional network. I am thrilled to announce our new alliance with Sky Sports, the foremost broadcaster for live sports in the UK and a globally acclaimed sports network. This venture is not just a celebration of martial arts but also a significant step in expanding ONE Championship's global footprint."
The partnership between Sky Sports and ONE Championship marks Sky's ambitious move into MMA broadcasting, an area where TNT Sports has been the primary UK broadcaster for UFC events. By securing the rights to ONE Championship, Sky Sports is diversifying its sports portfolio and providing UK and Irish audiences with an alternative to the UFC-centric coverage of TNT Sports.
The collaboration kicks off with "ONE Fight Night 18: Superlek vs. Mahmoudi," airing live on Saturday, January 13, at 1 a.m. GMT. This event heralds the beginning of a new era in martial arts broadcasting in the UK and Ireland, offering fans a fresh and exciting MMA experience.
This strategic partnership is a key component of ONE Championship's strategy to increase its global influence and strengthen its standing in the international sports broadcasting sector. It follows broadcast deals with Amazon Prime and an agreement with Netflix, signed earlier this month, to broadcast season two of "The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition."
The agreement between ONE Championship and Sky Sports underscores the growing international appeal of martial arts and their commitment to delivering high-quality sports entertainment to a wider audience. It signifies a major step in elevating the profile of martial arts sports and providing fans with access to top-quality, exhilarating live events.
