The Ultimate Fighting Championship is a truly unique brand of entertainment, and there’s no question that the UFC is about to crash the party in the non-fungible token digital cards craze next.
From walk-off KOs to bloody slow-motion, UFC digital video trading cards should definitely be in high demand, as mixed martial arts highlights are tailor-made for the exploding NFT realm.
And here’s what you need to know.
How fans can jump on UFC digital trading cards market
In an exciting development for everyone who follows UFC and their fighters, crypto-backed digital assets are entering the MMA ring. Made by Dapper Labs, UFC on Flow will offer MMA fans their own version of what NBA Top Shot is to basketball.
While we still don’t know when collectors will be able to pursue a Conor McGregor KO collectible, fans can register for early access right now.
What we can expect from UFC digital trading cards
As it is built within the same framework as the basketball version, we have an idea of what mixed martial arts fans can expect from the UFC offering. Collectors will be able to buy, sell, trade, and collect digital card collectibles once the program is underway.
From there, I imagine hopefully they will have a few fewer quirks to work through, as NBA Top Shot has been open to the public since October of 2020, but is still in the beta stage. Though there will very likely be their own issues to work through at first, let’s hope when they put the gloves on, it’s a knockout.
UFC setting a strong example in digital cards (Non-Fungible Tokens) space
Taking a page from NBA Top Shot, UFC is also affiliated with Dapper Labs. Quickly becoming one of the most popular sports in the world, it’s no surprise that UFC is entering the blockchain digital card craze, but the company’s forward-thinking business savvy is what’s grown MMA so much. NFT should only help the cause.
While UFC fans will soon have a digital card option, it begs the question: Which sport will be next to board the NFT bandwagon?
Following in Rob Gronkowski’s footsteps by having his own digital cards, Tom Brady is launching an NFT company. While Gronkowski’s NFTs were a limited-time offering, Brady’s company Autograph aims to stick around. Aside from the individual efforts of current football stars of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Ben Fischer of Sports Business Journal reports the NFL is working on their own permanent digital card solution.
Similar to UFC, there is no word on when fans can begin shopping for digital card collectibles, but rest assured, an answer for football fans is on the way.
Granted, the UFC appears to be much further along and will likely debut their version sooner than the NFL or any other league. Keep an eye out for further developments regarding sports-related crypto-backed digital assets, though.
UFC getting in early on major sports trading cards boom
Will all major sports get in on the NFT digital trading card craze? Hard to see any reason why they won’t at this point. Chances are, most major sports leagues are already in talks with developers to reveal their plan to get in on releasing their own line of digital cards. Players themselves are even getting involved, providing funding to get the next virtual sports trading card in full swing.
While we can see a variety of ways the NBA has gotten creative, that is simply the tip of the iceberg. As other sports experiment with different approaches, expect crypto-backed digital assets to become even more captivating over time.
We can already drool over imagining knockouts in the MMA ring, witnessing goalies make jaw-dropping saves in hockey, or soccer players using incredible footwork to juke defenders on their way to scoring a goal.
In the greatest moments of the history of sports, someday fans will be able to own a piece of their memories from witnessing the event unfold. Whenever fans want to relive that iconic moment from their past, collectors will have access to it in the palm of their hand.
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