UFC boosts Japanese presence with Fuji TV partnership

Mixed martial arts promotion the Ultimate Fighting Championship has secured exposure on Japanese terrestrial television through a content partnership with commercial broadcaster Fuji TV.

The new partnership, the length of which was not disclosed, will result in the broadcast of UFC Time, a monthly, one-hour show with information, news and highlights about the championship. Fuji TV will feature the show as part of its Fujiyama Fight Club program.

The new program will feature UFC content designed to introduce the series to the broader Japanese audience, providing highlights of all the month’s preceding events. The show will also include educational segments highlighting how the UFC has helped establish MMA and built it into a mainstream sport.

Other highlights within the program include in-depth profiles of top Japanese UFC athletes. In addition, the program will feature a ‘Fight of The Month’, replaying the best fight from events around the world that month.

UFC Asia executive vice-president and general manager Kenneth Berger said: “UFC has always had a strong following in Japan, and as the brand rapidly grows in popularity in Asia we want to make it easier for new audiences to discover the sport. This program will give those audiences a glimpse into some of the best content that the UFC has to offer.”