The Spanish media sports giant Univision is getting in on MMA, as it has been reported that they intend to buy a significant amount of Combate Global shares.
News of the Spanish media company acquiring an equity stake in Combate Global was outlined first in a report by The Hollywood Reporter. As of this writing, neither company has partaken in serious discussions to solidify a deal but are firm in their stance that a compromise will inevitably be reached. With the world of MMA continuing to grow, the news conglomerate sees value in the fighting company as video streaming continues its onslaught on elder forms of entertainment.
Combate Global or Combate Americas intends to continue its global expansion. Prior to revealing their intention to buy a significant amount of shares, Univision also inked a 5-year deal with Combate Global. Their partnership with Univision will be a great way for the ten-year-old MMA promotion to get a foot in the door as far as exposure to a wider audience is concerned.
“It made all the sense in the world to have a bigger stake in the relationship, because of the size of the growth, and the targets that Combate offers us,” says Juan Carlos Rodriguez, the president of sports enterprises for Univision, who will oversee the combined company’s sports efforts.
Further, the CEO of Combate Global, Campbell McLaren is assured that the new partnership aligns with Combate Global and Univision’s passion for MMA.
“This is the proverbial win-win. Univision becomes an incredible partner that we are just very well matched with,” adds Campbell McLaren, Combate Global’s CEO, who added that Univision CEO Wade Davis is “someone who knows and loves MMA.”
Rodriguez, Univision’s president of sports enterprises added that the potential for success in the realm of MMA is huge and is eager to export the product worldwide.
“Once all of our audience gets to learn Combate, the growth is going to be huge,” Rodriguez says. “Being able to export it to other countries in the world… it will empower the property across all of its revenue.”
As the UFC and ESPN continue their foray into digital streaming, McLaren is confident that this acquisition and partnership will benefit the company and further its development as a leading MMA organization in the years to come. The news is refreshing to hear, as fighters need as many viable options as they can get since many regional promotions closed down due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
What do you make of Univision’s recent investment into the MMA world?
