Prediction platform Polymarket has entered into a multi-year partnership with TKO Group Holdings, the parent company of the UFC and Zuffa Boxing, marking a major step in blending prediction markets with live sports entertainment.
The deal designates Polymarket as the exclusive prediction market partner of both UFC and Zuffa Boxing, introducing new forms of interactive fan engagement across broadcasts and live events.
Integrating real-time fan predictions into UFC broadcasts
Under the partnership, Polymarket’s technology will be integrated “directly into the live fan experience,” according to a joint statement from the firms.
Unlike traditional sports betting platforms, the prediction markets will be designed to complement, not compete with, regulated wagering, providing a new layer of audience interaction during matches.
Among the new features, Polymarket plans to launch a real-time prediction scoreboard during UFC broadcasts.
This feature will visualize how fans across the world are forecasting fight outcomes as each round unfolds, creating what TKO described as a “data-driven narrative layer” that complements traditional commentary and fight analysis.
Ariel Emanuel, Executive Chair and CEO of TKO, said the initiative aims to “unlock a new dimension of fan engagement,” transforming passive spectatorship into interactive participation.
The firms also plan to introduce a social content series highlighting potential post-fight matchups for top UFC fighters, which will tie into topical markets hosted on the Polymarket platform.
“Few sports generate emotion and debate like the UFC,” said Shayne Coplan, founder and CEO of Polymarket.
“By bringing prediction markets to the broadcast and arena, we’re giving fans a new way to be part of the action — not just watching outcomes but watching the world’s expectations evolve with every round.”
TKO Holding stock gained over 1.25% to trade at $183.90 on Thursday.
Expanding into boxing with Zuffa debut in 2026
The collaboration will extend beyond mixed martial arts. Polymarket is set to become the first brand partner for Zuffa Boxing, a new professional boxing promotion scheduled to launch in January 2026.
As part of this partnership, Polymarket will introduce in-arena activations and digital integrations across Zuffa Boxing events, enhancing audience interaction through predictive insights and real-time engagement tools.
Starting in 2026, all UFC and Zuffa Boxing broadcasts will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the United States, TKO confirmed.
Emanuel said the integration of prediction markets into these broadcasts will enhance storytelling, allowing fans to engage dynamically with events as they unfold.
Polymarket’s growing footprint across sports and finance
The partnership arrives amid a period of rapid expansion for Polymarket, as prediction markets gain mainstream traction across sports, finance, and media.
In recent weeks, the platform has announced integrations with Google Finance and Yahoo Finance, enabling its probability data to appear alongside market and economic coverage.
It has also unveiled collaborations with PrizePicks, DraftKings, and the National Hockey League, further broadening its footprint in sports entertainment.
Earlier Thursday, Polymarket reopened its US platform in beta mode, marking its return to the American market after resolving a 2022 enforcement case with the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC).
The firm, last valued at around $9 billion following an investment from Intercontinental Exchange (ICE), is reportedly in talks to raise new funding at a valuation of up to $15 billion.
The deal with TKO underscores Polymarket’s growing influence as prediction technology moves from niche trading communities into mainstream digital entertainment, offering fans a new way to interact with the sports — not just by observing outcomes, but by collectively shaping the narrative as it unfolds.
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