London — The UFC’s presence in Europe has waned in recent years, thanks in part to the coronavirus pandemic, but London, and England as a whole, has remained a bright spot for the company.
The promotion was back on British soil once again for UFC London on Saturday, and the March date in the British capital has become something of a tradition. “It seems like this March date works out really well for our calendar,” UFC Senior VP of International and Content, David Shaw, said following the event, speaking with media outlets including Cageside Press.
Shaw, as he often does following international cards, played the role of Dana White at Saturday’s post-fight press conference, announcing the night’s bonuses and fielding questions from reporters. The obvious one: when does the UFC plan on getting back to the U.K., and could there be a second show on British soil this year? After all, talent from the region is booming, thanks in part to regional shows like Cage Warriors.
“We don’t base it on the fighters. Calendar is set six to nine months out. We’re always trying to be in the U.K. twice a year, sometimes it works out, and sometimes it doesn’t,” replied Shaw. “Also driven by the other events we want to do throughout Europe, throughout the Middle East and North Africa. But typically we enter every year trying to get to the U.K. twice.”
So a second U.K. show in 2025? Shaw wouldn’t confirm it. However, he added, “it’s possible.”
The Czech Republic and Germany have also seen MMA take off, and the UFC does have plans to visit one or the other in the near future, though not this year. “So not in 25, but 26,” said Shaw. A trip to either makes sense, as Oktagon MMA has exploded in both countries, hosting shows in packed arenas and even soccer stadiums. Shawn is aware of the growing European promotion it seems.
“It’s definitely encouraging. We hear a lot about the Oktagon situation, I think they broadcast their events on RTL. We just renewed our deal with DAZN in Germany, and they talked a lot about the growth of the sport, citing what Oktagon has been doing,” revealed Shaw. “Which I think is great. So what does it do for us? Obviously it helps generate a number of local athletes, so the pipeline is stronger for athletes in those particular regions. Galvanizes fanbase, helps make broadcast and media values increase, and it shows there’s demand from a ticket sales perspective.”
“So for us, extremely encouraging, which is why I mention not 25 but 26 as the next likely window that we’d consider going.”
One complication is the broadcast situation in the U.S., noted Shaw, without expanding on the subject. “I think I’ve talked about that quite a bit in the past.” The UFC’s deal with ESPN is up at the end of the year, with players including Netflix and Amazon likely to show interest in picking up the promotion, were a new deal with the UFC’s current home not reached.
The oft-talked about but yet to materialize UFC Africa was also brought up following Saturday’s London card. According to Shaw, the event, which remains a goal for UFC President and CEO Dana White, is “a massive priority.”
“There’s so much excitement unlocking new markets. And you don’t get to do it that often. We did it a few years ago in France, and it’s been such a great ride. There’s a few other countries that we are trying to get to this year, and hopefully in the next few weeks we’ve got some announcements. But it’s a really special moment.”
Watch the full UFC London post-fight press conference with David Shaw above.
