Solana's Blockasset to Power UFC's New Digital Fan Engagement Platform

In a pioneering move, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has joined forces with Blockasset, a leading web3 sports media network, to unveil the first-ever digital fan experience on the Solana blockchain. This revolutionary partnership aims to redefine fan engagement by offering unparalleled experiences and rewards to UFC enthusiasts worldwide.

Blockasset: A Trailblazer in Solana NFTs

This monumental collaboration builds upon Blockasset's legacy as a trailblazer in the Solana NFT space. Notably, Blockasset stands as one of the earliest projects on Solana to utilize Metaplex, and they made history by releasing the NFT collection of Italian football legend Giorgio Chiellini. The platform has consistently pushed the boundaries of fan engagement, releasing the Legends Collection in 2021, which featured iconic athletes like Muhammad Ali and Wayne Rooney, and the Smesh Bros collection with UFC fighters Khamzat Chimaev and Darren Till, garnering over 100 million social views. 

Blockasset also made waves by raising $900,000 for charity with Heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk's NFT collection and even collaborated with UFC President Dana White on his first NFT.

Unveiling the First Digital Fan Experience on Solana

Announced on June 27, 2024, this multi-year global marketing partnership designates Blockasset as the "Official Digital Fan Interaction Partner" of UFC, further solidifying Blockasset's prominent role in the MMA world. The heart of this collaboration is the introduction of a groundbreaking digital fan experience on Solana. This cutting-edge platform will reward engaged users with exclusive opportunities, including attending live events, meeting UFC fighters, and enjoying VIP octagon tours. 

Fans can earn points and $BLOCK rewards by participating in prediction games and utilizing them within other Blockasset products like BlockPicks and BlockBet.

A New Era of Fan Engagement

As part of the partnership, Blockasset will gain prominent branding visibility within the Octagon during select UFC events, reaching millions of fans globally. The collaboration will also encompass the creation and distribution of original content through UFC's digital and social channels.

In an exclusive conversation with SolanaFloor, Blockasset co-founder Bobby Evans remarked, "We were one of the very first projects on Solana using the Metaplex protocol back in June 2021, almost three years ago to date. The goal from our inception was to connect fan bases globally through digital assets, and we've achieved many IRL and digital experiences connecting our community to their favorite athletes. The UFC deal allows us to accelerate this and offer our unparalleled community experiences whilst bringing legitimacy and credibility within the web2 world from traditional sports fans. Now to onboard the next one million fans to Solana."

UFC 303: The First Activation

The partnership's inaugural activation will revolve around UFC 303: PEREIRA vs. PROCHAZKA 2, which will take place on June 29 at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. 

The UFC's historic partnership with Blockasset isn't just a marketing deal; it's a paradigm shift. By leveraging Solana's lightning-fast blockchain, fans aren't just spectators; they're active participants, earning rewards, making predictions, and owning a piece of the action. Given the immense reach of the sports industry, this groundbreaking initiative holds the potential to propel Solana toward its goal of mass adoption.