AusLeisure

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will return to Perth this year following the Western Australia Government and Tourism Western Australia securing the major event organised by the world's leading mixed martial arts promoter.

UFC 251 has the potential to promote Perth to up to one billion households in 172 countries via television broadcast and streaming services. UFC also has a social media reach of more than 79 million followers.

Tourism WA will use these social media platforms to showcase WA, promoting Perth's natural surroundings, vibrant city nightlife and the State's regional areas to millions of people around the world.

The announcement of UFC’s return to Perth is a result of the State Government's decision in June 2017 to lift a ban on the UFC's 'octagon', which allowed Tourism WA to secure UFC events for the benefit of local tourism and the wider economy.

Perth's last UFC event was RAC Arena's most successful-ever sporting event and attracted thousands of tourists, pumping millions into the local economy. UFC made its WA debut in February 2018 with UFC 221: ROMERO vs. ROCKHOLD. The event saw 12,437 people fill RAC Arena to watch the main card middleweight match-up of Cuban powerhouse, Yoel Romero and Californian, Luke Rockhold.

Visitors to UFC 221 injected around $5.3 million of direct spend into the WA economy, with about 30% of ticket sales - or 3,702 tickets - bought by patrons from outside the State.

The return of the globally popular spectacle is expected to again attract thousands of interstate tourists to WA - filling hotel rooms and supporting local tourism and hospitality businesses during the State's traditionally quieter winter period.

Pay-per-views are the top tier of UFC events, attracting massive global audiences - with only 12 held each year, and only two or three of those hosted outside North America.

UFC 251 is the only pay-per-view UFC event scheduled for Australia this year, with the sport's dedicated fan base expected to converge on Perth for the event.

Western Australia Tourism Minister Paul Papalia noted "Perth's first UFC event in 2018 was an absolute triumph for WA tourism - drawing thousands of visitors and supporting our hotels, bars, restaurants and other small businesses.

"We're looking forward to UFC 251 being another great success and solidifying Perth's claim to be a regular host city for UFC's future championship bouts.

"These major events are only hosted outside North America a couple of times a year, so to secure another one is a major success for WA tourism and an indicator of Perth's growing global reputation.

Western Australia Sport and Recreation Minister Mick Murray added "securing UFC 251 is a major coup for the State, as the mixed martial arts sport is highly-prized for its significant global fan-base on social media and through pay-per-view broadcast.

"Hosting a second UFC event shows that Perth has an excellent reputation as a city that has a variety of quality venues to attract elite-level sporting events of all kinds.

"We're looking forward to locals and visitors getting behind another UFC event in Perth, and the sport delivering more great results for the State."

Ticketing and bout information for UFC 251 will be finalised in the coming months.

For more information go to http://www.ufc.com/perth

Image UFC 221: Romero vs. Rockhold courtesy of Ultimate Fighting Championship YouTube

Related Articles

6th February 2020 - Former Sports Minister named chair of Western Australia’s Combat Sports Commission

9th December 2019 - Western Australia launches online education for combat sports industry

25th July 2019 - Melbourne’s Marvel Stadium to host UFC 243

9th July 2019 - Latest UFC Gym opens in Western Sydney’s Bankstown Sports Club

30th April 2019 - UFC agrees long-term deal for fight events to return to Abu Dhabi

15th February 2019 - UFC GYM looks open to clubs in New Zealand

11th January 2019 - UFC to open US$13 million Performance Institute in Shanghai

19th December 2018 - Western Australia Combat Sports Commission developing strategies to improve safety

23rd July 2018 - UFC Gyms introduce drinking fountain and bottle refill stations at Australian club

25th June 2018 - UFC GYM announces partnership for Singapore expansion

8th November 2017 - UFC partners with AirAsia as ‘official airline’ sponsor

1st November 2017 - Perth Arena to host UFC championship fight event

6th September 2017 - UFC GYM generates more than 100,000 referral leads with Netpulse

13th July 2017 - UFC GYM increases Arabian Gulf footprint with new location in Bahrain

22nd February 2017 - UFC GYM to open Perth club by end of year

22nd December 2016 - UAE firm engages UFC star to launch MMA-based gym concept

27th October 2016 - UFC launches events partnership with Village Cinemas and Event Cinemas

10th October 2016 - Skye Nicolson named as the ‘face’ of adidas Combat Sports

27th September 2016 - UFC Gyms begin South East Asian expansion

11th July 2016 - Consortium buys UFC for US$4 billion

12th May 2016 - UFC appoints Australian Rene Valencia to international marketing role

30th March 2016 - Etihad Stadium’s UFC193 event delivers economic impact of $102 million

22nd December 2015 - UFC Gym to open first Arabian Gulf club in Dubai in 2016

21st December 2015 - UFC GYM announces Australian expansion plans

5th September 2012 - Fitness Australia issues ‘combat sport’ guidance

16th October 2009 - Combat Sports to face new legislation in WA

---

Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.