TKO Group Holdings has struck a multiyear global agreement with Polymarket that installs the fast-rising prediction market platform as the official and exclusive prediction market partner of UFC and the soon-to-launch Zuffa Boxing. It is one of the most ambitious attempts yet to integrate real-time prediction markets into mainstream sport, reshaping how fans interact with live combat sports.
At the center of the collaboration is the new Fan Prediction Scoreboard, which will become part of UFC broadcasts from early 2026. The scoreboard will pull live trading data from Polymarket to reflect shifts in fan sentiment during fights, including momentum swings, round-by-round expectations, and evolving probabilities of different outcomes. TKO plans to position this as a new engagement layer that sits alongside traditional commentary and analysis.
TKO and Polymarket will also roll out a weekly digital franchise titled Matchup Predictions – Who’s Next across UFC’s channels on Facebook, Instagram, Threads, and X. The series will highlight potential future matchups with dedicated prediction markets that allow fans to speculate long before bouts are announced.
Commenting on the landmark occasion, Ariel Emanuel, Executive Chair and CEO, TKO, said, “By partnering with Shayne and his team at Polymarket, we’re unlocking a new dimension of fan engagement. Integrating Polymarket with the UFC and Zuffa Boxing live experience will help fans interact with these events in real time, transforming passive viewership into active participation.”
Shayne Coplan, Founder and CEO of Polymarket, added, “Few sports generate emotion and debate like the UFC. By bringing prediction markets to the broadcast and arena, we’re giving fans a new way to be part of the action — not just watching outcomes but watching the world’s expectations evolve with every round.”
Zuffa Boxing, gearing up for a January 2026 debut, will make Polymarket its first official commercial partner. Polymarket will support early digital activations as the promotion introduces its brand, roster, and event calendar. Fan-driven prediction markets are expected to form a key part of the buildup to the first fight night, giving audiences a mechanism to track hype, breakout contenders, and public expectations.
The partnership follows TKO’s recent broadcast shift that will move all UFC and Zuffa Boxing events in the United States exclusively to Paramount+ from 2026. With a heavier push into streaming and interactive tech, TKO is positioning its combat sports portfolio for a more digitally active global fan base.
For Polymarket, the deal offers exposure to UFC’s reach across more than 210 countries and territories and a front row seat for the launch of an entirely new combat sports property. The platform has grown rapidly in cultural and political prediction markets, and this agreement represents its most prominent expansion into live sport.
The announcement comes as UFC closes out a packed 2025 calendar that includes multiple title clashes and international events, giving Polymarket immediate storylines and markets to build upon. Zuffa Boxing is expected to confirm its first wave of fighters by year’s end, which will quickly become fertile ground for early prediction activity.
Prediction markets are gaining traction with younger, digitally native fans who want deeper ways to participate during live events. By embedding live market data directly into broadcasts, TKO is betting on a future where real-time sentiment becomes part of the storytelling fabric of combat sports.
The partnership places UFC and Zuffa Boxing at the front of a new wave of interactive sports viewing where fan expectations, not just results, become part of the show.
