Panini to launch first ever UFC NFTs
First series of digital trading cards will be released on 9th and 10th August.
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- Over 100 UFC fighters to be featured in new online collection
- Trading card company signed exclusive deal with UFC in January
US sports trading card company Panini America will produce the first ever Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) non-fungible tokens (NFTs).
Digital replicas of the company’s physical trading cards will feature over 100 UFC athletes, including stars such as Conor McGregor, Derrick Lewis and Amanda Nunes.
The first NFTs will drop on Panini’s online marketplace on 9th and 10th August after the company signed an exclusive deal with the UFC in January this year.
The move marks Panini’s latest venture into the growing NFT market, having recently agreed to produce college athlete collectibles last month.
Prices will range from US$10 for a ‘Select Base’ pack to US$149 for a ‘Gold Parallel’ pack, depending on how rare or valuable the packs are.
“The UFC NFTs are an extension of our very popular Panini UFC trading cards and an innovative way for fans to stay connected to UFC and their favourite athletes,” said UFC senior vice president of global consumer products Tracey Bleczinski.
Panini America’s chief executive, Mark Warsop, added: “We’re really excited about the huge growth and even bigger potential of the collectible NFT space - and our exclusive partnership with UFC is a major reason why.
“Since becoming the first trading card manufacturer to produce licensed NFTs in January of 2020, we’ve proven that the appeal of our most popular physical brands translates beautifully to the NFT arena. And we’re confident that our planned UFC NFTs will take the category to another level.”
