UFC, Crown Resorts form groundbreaking partnership

A “first of its kind” partnership has been formed between the UFC and Crown Resorts in Australia this week.

The world’s largest mixed martial arts promotion announced that Crown Resorts will be the official UFC Fan Hotel in Australia. This comes after the gaming and entertainment group was also confirmed as the UFC’s entertainment and event experiences partner.

Crown has three flagship sites around the country, with resorts in Melbourne, Sydney and Perth. These will now host the official UFC Watch Party and After Party. The resorts will also receive prominent spots in the UFC octagon and during pay-per-view events.

Volkanovski on site to inaugurate partnership

Australian UFC star Alexander Volkanovski was onsite at Crown Melbourne on Wednesday to announce the partnership.

He was joined by Ciarán Carruthers, Crown Resorts CEO, who spoke glowingly of the new relationship.

“This partnership represents Crown’s dedication to energising communities and driving Australia’s tourism resurgence,” Carruthers said.

“Drawing guests to our cities and to our Crown properties that are renowned as the very best in entertainment, dining and accommodation.”

UFC’s head of global partnerships, Nick Smith, also spoke on the potential of the new venture.

“UFC is a world leader when it comes to premium live events and our content offerings,” he said.

“Similarly, Crown’s three Australian resorts and their commitment to the guest experience is second to none — it’s a perfect pairing.

“We look forward to building on this partnership for years to come.

“We could not be more excited to partner with Crown Resorts and bring the absolute best of the best to our fans.”

UFC’s positive impact on Australian tourism set to continue

The UFC has travelled to Australia more and more regularly in recent years, bringing significant benefits to the nation’s tourism industry.

One of the first big UFC events in Australia, almost five years ago, generated just short of $110 million for the local economy. Held in Melbourne and featuring Israel Adesanya vs Robert Whittaker as the main event, more than 57,000 fans attended the contest.

More recently, Volkanovski’s fight against Islam Makhachev was responsible for a $42.8 million influx to Perth and the surrounding region.

The promotion will be returning to Australia again soon, with UFC 305 scheduled for August 2024.

“Momentum is key and UFC is stringing together some unmissable events in the lead up to UFC 305 in Perth and beyond,” shared UFC’s ANZ vice president Peter Kloczko.

“We are on track for another record-breaking year in Australia.”

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