UFC Extends Broadcast Partnership with Migu Through 2031, Bolsters Presence in China
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has renewed its broadcast partnership with Migu, a leading OTT service in China, in a multi-year deal extending through 2031. This agreement underscores the growing importance of the Chinese market to the mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion.
Expanded Coverage and Content
Under the renewed agreement, Migu will broadcast all live UFC events annually, including the 13 annual ‘numbered events’ and 30 ‘Fight Night’ events. Coverage also extends to the reality show The Ultimate Fighter and Dana White’s Contender Series. Content will be available through the UFC Fan Club section on the Migu app, featuring supplementary programming like UFC Countdown, UFC Connect, and the Asia-specific Road to UFC tournament.
Geographic Reach
The partnership encompasses mainland China, as well as the special administrative regions of Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. Migu will serve as the exclusive co-organizer of UFC events in mainland China, including a UFC Fight Night scheduled for Shanghai on August 29. However, this co-organizer role will not extend to events in Hong Kong or Macau, such as the upcoming UFC Fight Night 277 on May 30 in Macau’s Galaxy Arena.
Growing Chinese Fanbase
UFC reports a fanbase of 188 million in China, with over 17 million followers across various social media platforms including Douyin, Weibo, WeChat, Kuaishou, RedNote, and Bilibili. The promotion states this represents a 70% increase since Migu first acquired UFC rights in 2021.
Statements from UFC and Migu Executives
Kevin Chang, UFC senior vice president and head of Asia, stated, “Our partnership with Migu has been the cornerstone of growth that’s led to UFC’s emergence as a mainstream sport in China. As we glance ahead, we are excited to expand our partnership into new areas.”
Xu Jie, Migu vice president, added, “With Migu’s expertise in 5G+, 3D immersive video, and AI technology, we’re ready to capture the viewing experience to the next level. As the exclusive co-organizer of UFC events in mainland China, we’ll perform hand-in-hand with UFC to bring Chinese sports fans premium content and a more immersive way to experience the event.”
Chinese UFC Fighters
Currently, the UFC roster includes 17 fighters from China, including Zhang Weili, the #1 ranked women’s strawweight and former two-time champion [1], Yan Xiaonan (#4 ranked women’s strawweight), Wang Cong (#11 ranked women’s flyweight), Song Yadong (#5 ranked men’s bantamweight), and Zhang Mingyang (#15 ranked light heavyweight).
Upcoming Bouts
Flyweight Su Mudaerji and bantamweight Xiao Long are scheduled to compete at UFC 326, taking place on March 7 at T-Mobile Arena in Nevada, US.
Migu’s Expanding MMA Portfolio
This deal marks Migu’s second major MMA rights agreement in 2026, following a February agreement to broadcast events from the Professional Fighters League (PFL), covering 24 live events, including 16 global events and eight regional events from the Middle East, and Africa.