Ultimate Fighting Championship, the mixed martial arts promoter, has announced an exclusive distribution agreement with Televisa Networks, a subsidiary of Mexican media group Televisa, to air UFC programming in 20 Spanish-speaking countries in Latin America and launch a new pay-television network.
The UFC said the new network will be a 24-hour, seven days a week UFC channel featuring the world's best MMA programming including premiere live UFC events. It is due to launch later this year with the agreement between the UFC and Televisa excluding the Brazilian market.
The new channel will provide access to championship fights and over 35 live events per year as well as archive programming; equalling more than 20,000 hours of content. The UFC Channel will also feature original programming such as reality series, all broadcast in Spanish.
Before the channel launch, Televisa has the rights to air UFC content in 20 countries in Latin America, excluding Brazil, starting in June. UFC programming will be made available on pay-television TDN in Mexico and Golden Channel in Latin America.
Four live events will be broadcast on Televisa’s free-to-air Channel 5 in Mexico and other free-to-air networks in Latin America on an annual basis.
Lorenzo Fertitta, owner and co-founder of Zuffa LLC, parent company of the UFC, said: “The launch of the UFC Channel is a game changer for our sport and its fans throughout Latin America. We are giving millions of fans across the region complete access to all our live events and programming for the first time.”