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Bud Light’s Knockout Move: UFC Lands Multiyear Deal Amidst Fan Backlash

ByAlki David

Oct 27, 2023

In a strategic alliance that has sent shockwaves through the mixed martial arts (MMA) community, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and Anheuser-Busch InBev NV have inked a groundbreaking multiyear marketing pact. This collaboration crowns Bud Light as the official beer of the UFC, elevating it to prime visibility across various platforms. However, the celebrated deal has ignited a fierce uproar among UFC enthusiasts, who are rallying against what they see as a contentious move.

As of January 1, the octagon now boasts a prominent new partner with Anheuser-Busch assuming the role of the “Official Beer Partner of UFC.” Bud Light’s logo is set to dominate not just the broadcasts but also find its place on signage across arenas, fight-week activities, social media channels, weigh-ins, and press conferences.

The UFC’s former partnership with Modelo now appears to be a thing of the past, as Bud Light steps into the spotlight. This significant shift follows a turbulent period for Bud Light, marked by a decline in sales attributed to a controversial advertising campaign featuring trans-TikTok star Dylan Mulvaney. Modelo, having seized the opportunity, has ascended to claim the title of America’s best-selling beer.

The fallout from Bud Light’s turbulent advertising venture continues to resonate as reports circulate that the brewing giant allegedly employed questionable tactics, described by some as outright bribery, to maintain its beer on store shelves. The backlash has been palpable, with UFC fans expressing their discontent and even calling for a boycott.

As the octagon prepares for a new era with Bud Light at the forefront, UFC CEO Dana White & Co. face a formidable challenge in reconciling their vision with the discontent brewing within their fan base. The clash between corporate partnerships and fan sentiment sets the stage for a high-stakes narrative that transcends the realm of sports marketing.

By Alki David

Alki David — Publisher, Media Architect, SIN Network Creator - live, direct-to-public communication, media infrastructure, accountability journalism, and independent distribution. Born in Lagos, Nigeria; educated in the United Kingdom and Switzerland; attended the Royal College of Art. Early internet broadcaster — participated in real-time public coverage during the 1997 Mars landing era using experimental online transmission from Beverly Hills. Founder of FilmOn, one of the earliest global internet television networks offering live and on-demand broadcasting outside legacy gatekeepers. Publisher of SHOCKYA — reporting since 2010 on systemic corruption inside the entertainment business and its expansion into law, finance, and regulation. Creator of the SIN Network (ShockYA Integrated Network), a federated media and civic-information infrastructure spanning investigative journalism, live TV, documentary, and court-record reporting. Lived and worked for over 40 years inside global media hubs including Malibu, Beverly Hills, London, Hong Kong and Gstaad. Early encounter with Julian Assange during the first Hologram USA operations proved a formative turning point — exposing the realities of lawfare, information suppression, and concentrated media power. Principal complainant and driving force behind what court filings describe as the largest consolidated media–legal accountability action on record, now before the Eastern Caribbean Supreme Court. Relocated to Antigua & Barbuda and entered sustained legal, civic, and informational confrontation over media power, safeguarding, and accountability at Commonwealth scale.