Mixed martial arts brand, UFC is teaming up with Fanatics Collectibles on an exclusive multi-year trading card partnership that will see Topps make a return to the sport.
The agreement was negotiated in consultation with UFC’s licensing agent IMG.
Topps was a UFC partner from 2009-2020, creating UFC’s first ever trading cards. The hotly tipped new product will be 2024 Topps Chrome UFC, which hits retail and hobby shops on 28 February.
The set will include 200 base cards across a rainbow of colour and tech parallels with several key insert cards: SuperGiant, 1954 Topps International Flair, AKA and Tale of the Tape. There will also be two autographs in every box, featuring some of the biggest names in UFC, including bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley, flyweight champion Alexa Grasso and welterweight champion Leon Edwards.
“We are excited to again join creative forces with Fanatics Collectibles and Topps, celebrating the sport of MMA and the unrivalled popularity of UFC through its unique personalities and historic moments,” commented Tracey Bleczinski, svp, UFC Global Consumer Products. “UFC fans have long supported a strong marketplace for collectibles, and this new collaboration with Fanatics and Topps will give UFC fans a great way to stay engaged in the sport and to better connect with their favorite athletes.”
Mike Mahan, ceo at Fanatics Collectibles, continued: “Today is a day of celebration for both the hobby and all UFC fans. UFC trading cards are incredibly popular among collectors – and we are truly honoured to be able to once again make innovative and fun cards featuring the next wave of stars.”
Fanatics Collectibles is planning to support the UFC partnership with a variety of promotional initiatives, including featured content on Fanatics Live – the live commerce platform that lives within Fanatics’ digital sports platform. On Fanatics Live, collectors and fans will be able to see special interviews with UFC athletes as the fighters join in on live card breaks. The deal builds on an existing e-commerce and live-event partnership between UFC and Fanatics Commerce.
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