Middle Eastern broadcaster MBC Group has acquired rights for the Desert Force Mixed Martial Arts Championship from X-Management, the operator of the competition.
The rights will be exploited on MBC Action, a free-to-air satellite channel.
The length of the deal has not been reported, but the championship said that it would host a series of four events over the coming year.
The first event covered by the deal took place in Jordan on Friday, September 7, and will be shown on MBC Action on September 17.
X-Management, which launched the championship in 2010, also hopes to stage events in Bahrain, Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Lebanon, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, Syria, Tunisia and the United Arab Emirates in the future.
“We have seen a steady increase in the popularity of action-packed shows within this category on MBC Action, and our offering of the latest in high-octane western shows was enjoyed by the Arab youth,” MBC Group television director Ali Jaber said. “However, and considering the channel’s recent shift to home-grown productions, we have decided to partner with Desert Force MMA to meet our viewers’ expectations.”
X-Management chief executive and chairman Zaid Mirza added: “Our partnership with MBC Action adds a lot of weight for the expansion of the world’s fastest growing sport in the Middle East.”