The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) mixed martial arts series has agreed a deal to sponsor this year’s World Wrestling Championships national team competition.
Organised by United World Wrestling (UWW), the sport’s global governing body, the 2015 event will take place at the Orleans Arena in Nevada, US from September 7-15.
UFC agreed the deal with USA Wrestling, the national governing body with which the series already has a partnership. USA Wrestling will co-organise the 2015 World Wrestling Championships in partnership with UWW.
Organisers expect more than 800 athletes are to compete in the event over three Olympic disciplines of Greco-Roman, women’s freestyle and men’s freestyle.
“We’ve already enjoyed a growing partnership with UFC and this is a natural extension,” USA Wrestling executive director Rich Bender said. “We’ve had numerous athletes that have gone on from our National and Olympic teams to great success in UFC, including trailblazing athletes like two-time Olympians Dan Henderson and Daniel Cormier and Olympic champion Henry Cejudo.”
Lou Lauria, vice-president of federation relationships and corporate social responsibility at the UFC, added: “Wrestling is a key member of the combat sports community and UFC will continue to support the development of men’s and women’s amateur sports globally.”