Chris Duncan celebrates after defeating Jordan Vucenic Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images Share on Facebook Share on X Google Preferred Share to Flipboard Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Send an Email Print the Article Post a Comment Meta and UFC are expanding on the partnership they first struck last year, with the tech giant scoring naming rights to the UFC's Las Vegas facility, which will be renamed the Meta Apex. The naming rights come amid a significant expansion of the facility, which will include making tickets to UFC events at the venue available to the public for the first time, with Meta branding throughout the venue. The Apex has hosted nealy 200 events since opening in 2019, including 112 Fight Nights, 70 episodes of Dana White's Contender Series, and four UFC BJJ events. It will also house some event for Zuffa Boxing, the new boxing promotion that UFC owner TKO is launching this year. Related Stories Business Meta Shake-Up: Mark Zuckerberg Names Former Trump Advisor Dina Powell McCormick as President Business Big Tech's Battle for the Living Room Heats Up As Instagram Launches Reels App for TVs Las Vegas, of course, is a major destination for fight fans, and the added experiential opportunities are another way to bolster the UFC brand and grow revenue. Nearly a year ago Meta, led by Mark Zuckerberg (an avid MMA fan and amateur fighter himself) inked a deal to become the "official fan technology partner" of UFC, with its branding and devices featured at events (every major UFC fight will feature plenty of fighters wearing Meta Ray-Bans). And UFC CEO Dana White joined Meta's board a year ago, underscoring the close relationship between the companies. "Meta is always at the forefront of technology and immersive experiences, and their enhancements will change the way fans view live fights," said White in a statement. "This rebranding comes at the perfect time as the facility is completing a major renovation, expanding capacity, concessions, hospitality, and UFC retail. For the first time ever, fans can come to Meta Apex and experience UFC fights with interactive VR, AI, and wearable technology. I can't wait for fans to see it." "Extending our partnership with UFC with the Meta Apex is about more than just a venue; it's about redefining how fans and athletes connect and experience the sport," added Alex Schultz, CMO & VP of analytics at Meta. "We're thrilled about the future and the opportunity to bring our technology even deeper into UFC, giving fans the chance to immerse themselves in the action in new ways." THR Newsletters Sign up for THR news straight to your inbox every day Subscribe Sign Up Travis Kelce Jason and Travis Kelce's 'New Heights' Launches Retail Hub (Exclusive) Prime Video Behind Prime Video's Global Partnership Deal Spree SXSW Sydney SXSW Sydney Canceled After Regional Government Pulls Funding international Disney+ Strikes U.K. First-Look Deal With Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters' Matriarch Productions Prime Video Amazon's Prime Video Strikes Deals to Offer M6+ in France and RTVE Live Channels in Spain Free of Charge lionsgate Lionsgate Sells South Asia Streaming Service After Splitting From Starz Travis Kelce Jason and Travis Kelce's 'New Heights' Launches Retail Hub (Exclusive) Prime Video Behind Prime Video's Global Partnership Deal Spree SXSW Sydney SXSW Sydney Canceled After Regional Government Pulls Funding international Disney+ Strikes U.K. First-Look Deal With Stephen Graham, Hannah Walters' Matriarch Productions Prime Video Amazon's Prime Video Strikes Deals to Offer M6+ in France and RTVE Live Channels in Spain Free of Charge lionsgate Lionsgate Sells South Asia Streaming Service After Splitting From Starz