Power in mixed martial arts (MMA): a case study of the ultimate fighting championship (UFC)

Figures & data

Figure 1. Zuffa (UFC) total revenue in millions 2001–20.

Table 1. Timeline of UFC financial power acquisition.

2006	Zuffa (UFC) purchases WEC
2007	Zuffa (UFC) purchases assets of Pride FC
2011	UFC purchases Strikeforce
2014	Broadcasting contract secured with Invicta
2014	Sponsorship agreement with Reebok
2016	Endeavour become parent company of the UFC
2018	Broadcasting deal with ESPN
2021	Sponsorship agreement with Venum
2023	Endeavour (UFC) purchases WWE

Table 2. Research process.

Stage	Content analysis
1	Immersion
2	Search for patterns (codes)
3	Creating categories (themes)
4	Cross-checking data
5	Summarising the findings

Table 3. UFC strategies (codes and themes).

Theme	Codes
Restrictive contractual arrangements	Control of athletes via compliance-based contracts without transparency. Control of wage, working conditions, career opportunities. Limited support for athlete welfare. Use of sanctions in cases of non-compliance. Not supporting the unionisation of athletes.
Resource acquisition	Acquisition of rival promotions and athletes. Building a network of personal contacts with business expertise. Securing lucrative broadcasting and sponsorship deals. Creating barriers to access the market.
Lobbying activities	Public relations activities. Networking those with political influence (seeking influence over the political and regulatory context).
Building reputation and legitimacy	Employing charismatic leadership. Minimising reputational damage. Building legitimacy for the UFC and MMA (control of a narrative).

Table 4. Forms of power employed by the UFC.

Form of power	Examples
Legitimate (Normative)	Authority, reputation, status, prestige, credibility, political support
Referent	Charismatic leadership, loyalty
Reward	Positive rewards: wage (compensation), bonuses, favouritism, personal recognition, approval
Expert	Expertise (business acumen)
Informational	Use of technology to control access to events, Limited transparency in contracts
Coercive	Sanctions, control of contracts, compliance mechanisms

Figure 2. Fighter wage share of UFC revenue 2001–20.