17 Oct 2024

Return of UFC octagon puts Sydney cage on the world stage

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) will return to Sydney, attracting tens of thousands of fans, millions of dollars in spending, and millions of global television viewers, as the Minns Labor Government delivers on another election commitment.

The UFC 312 event will be held in The Octagon at Qudos Bank Arena on 9 February 2025. This event is the second of three mega events the Minns Government secured as part of a four year deal with the world’s premier mixed martial arts organisation.

The first event in the Sydney series (UFC 293) in September 2023 sold out in 13 minutes with 18,168 people attending. 9,500 (52%) were from overseas or interstate, injecting more than $15.3 million into the NSW visitor economy.

The highly anticipated UFC 312 is also expected to sell-out and deliver another significant boost to the NSW visitor economy. It will also generate valuable global exposure for Sydney as the nation’s premier city for major sporting events through the UFC’s huge pay-per-view television audience and online following.

There are now more than 700 million UFC fans across the globe, including a combined 233 million followers across UFC’s social media channels. In Australia and New Zealand combined, UFC has more than 4.3 million fans and 6 million social media followers.

The UFC’s contribution to NSW goes beyond the Octagon, earlier this year the UFC signed a three-year partnership with PCYC NSW Fit for Life program to establish the UFC’s first youth mentoring initiative in the country.

Today the NSW Premier Chris Minns, the Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham and the Minister for Sport Steve Kamper will join UFC Vice President for Australia/NZ Pete Kloczko and No.1 UFC featherweight and former champion Alex Volkanovski, to announce the global juggernaut will again light up the NSW sporting calendar.

Ticket sales and the fight card for UFC 312 will be announced later this year. For all the latest information head to ufc.com/Sydney.

NSW Premier Chris Minns said:

“UFC’s return to Sydney is another step in us delivering on this election commitment.

“Last years event was a huge success and we expect next years event will match that, showcasing Sydney on the global stage as a top destination for sporting events.

“We are continuing to secure a calendar of unmissable events that help local businesses and create jobs, and that’s exactly what these UFC events do.”

Minister for Jobs and Tourism John Graham said:

“Hosting the UFC cage puts Sydney on the world stage, demonstrating that we punch above our weight when it comes to hosting blockbuster events.

“When the Octagon comes to town, so do thousands of visitors who stay in our hotels, eat in our cafes and restaurants and visit other attractions.

“Hosting the UFC alongside our calendar of incredible arts and cultural events like Vivid or SXSW Sydney, shows NSW has a diverse world class offering that will continue driving our visitor economy to new heights.”

Minister for Sport Steve Kamper said:

“The Minns Labor Government is focused on securing Sydney’s place as the premier destination of the Asia Pacific, and we are once again ready to showcase Sydney to millions around the world with UFC 312.

“This partnership is delivering more than just a boost to our economy, with PCYC NSW and UFC partnering together to deliver a life changing program which will promote a healthy lifestyle and positive decision making.”