UFC heavyweight champion continues cryptocurrency commitment with Stake.com

Cryptocurrency betting and gaming platform Stake.com has announced a new collaboration with UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou.

Launched in 2017, Stake has become a major player in the cryptocurrency gambling sector, having processed over 45 billion to date and offering both sports betting and casino products.

Stake was prompted to pursue a partnership with the heavyweight fighter due to his active presence in the cryptocurrency space, having become the first UFC athlete to launch his own Non Fungible Token prior to his title fight against Stipe Miocic, generating over $500,000.

Under the terms of the partnership, Ngannou – nicknamed ‘The Predator’ – will also receive a part of the sponsorship payment in cryptocurrency. The fighter is one of the most prominent names in the UFC in 2021, securing the heavyweight title via a knockout win against Stipe Miocic in March, becoming the first African-born competitor to win the belt.

Discussing the new partnership, Ngannou said that he was “very excited about the partnership with Stake.com,’ adding: Since my NFT drop in March, I have been completely obsessed with the crypto space and I’m extremely excited to be partnering up with the largest (and best) crypto betting platform in the world.”

Stake has stated that it is ‘confident that the new collaboration’ will strengthen its ‘already robust position in the global UFC betting market’ in addition to holding the live streaming rights to all of the promotion’s fights via its platform.

Describing its team as ‘massive UFC enthusiasts,’ the firm partnered with the UFC in March of this year, securing its position as an official sponsor of the tournament in both Asia and Latin America, with the exception of Brazil.

The operator maintained a strong marketing presence in the UFC prior to this, having partnered with middleweight champion Israel Adesanya in January 2021, who signed a long-term agreement to become a global brand ambassador.