Betclic will be the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) first-ever betting partner in France, Portugal and Poland under the terms of a deal that was signed earlier this week. The deal marks a major move forward for the UFC as it builds its presence in France, and other countries where the sport was either illegal or mostly unknown.
As part of the package, Betclic will be the main sponsor for UFC Fight Night Paris, which is being held at the Accor Arena on September 2. Fight Night Paris will mark the second time that the UFC has been to France since an MMA ban was lifted there in 2020. The first Fight Night Paris, held in 2021, was a rousing success with hometown hero Ciryl Gane topping Tai Tuivasa. Betclic’s branding will certainly be plastered on every viable surface for that event.
Nicholas Smith, UFC Vice President Global Partnerships, commented on the Betclic partnership in a recent posting on UFC.com saying, “France is an incredibly important market to the UFC. Throughout the company’s hard work to have the sport of MMA recognised, one of our main objectives was to create impactful and meaningful partnerships with local organisations. We are looking forward to working alongside Betclic to enhance our fans online gambling experience and bring some exciting activations to our upcoming event in Paris.”
Nicolas Béraud, Managing Director of Betclic was similarly enthusiastic adding, “We are delighted to be UFC’s first partner in our three main markets, France, Portugal and Poland. UFC has accomplished amazing things in developing the sport of MMA. It is at the core of our mission to promote and partner with emerging sports and enhance fans’ passion. With this partnership, we will offer them a new experience with increased interactivity during UFC events and some surprises for UFC Fight Night Paris on September 2!”
So far there’s no word on whether or not the UFC will be holding Fight Night Lisbon or Fight Night Warsaw anytime in the near future.