Sandeep Nailwal praises Polygon’s UFC and Polymarket deal

Polygon CEO Sandeep Nailwal is celebrating a serious milestone this week because the UFC indicators a multi-year partnership with Polymarket. The deal makes Polymarket the official and unique prediction market accomplice of each UFC and Zuffa Boxing. For Nailwal, this second is private. He revealed that he’s a long-time UFC fan and emphasised that Polymarket is totally powered by the Polygon community. He and Polygon Ventures have been early supporters when the market was harder.

Polymarket turns into UFC’s unique forecasting accomplice

UFC guardian firm TKO Group Holdings confirmed the partnership in a brand new announcement. This settlement marks the primary time a serious international sports activities group will combine predictive market expertise instantly into the fan expertise. As a substitute of conventional betting strains, followers will be capable of see real-time sentiment percentages that present who the viewers believes will win.

This new “Fan Prediction Scoreboard” might be displayed throughout UFC broadcasts. This dynamically updates all through every battle to replicate altering expectations with every strike, takedown, and swing of momentum. TKO says the function is designed to reinforce storytelling and isn’t meant to exchange regulated playing. Polymarket works throughout UFC occasions, dwell broadcasts, social media, and digital content material. This integration is meant to have interaction a whole lot of tens of millions of followers in a extra interactive expertise on sport night time.

Shane Coplan says this deal is a dream come true.

Polymarket CEO Shayne Coplan mentioned this partnership is a milestone for the group. He introduced the information after ringing the opening bell on the New York Inventory Change. Together with UFC President Dana White and TKO executives. Koplan mentioned that whereas watching the UFC, he would all the time test the percentages on Polymarket to get a really feel for who would win. Now, tens of millions of viewers will be capable of expertise the identical expertise dwell on display screen. He believes this integration will introduce prediction markets to a big new viewers.

The businesses are additionally launching a brand new social content material sequence known as “Matchup Predictions – Who’s Subsequent?” The sequence will spotlight potential future matchups after every occasion and encourage fan dialogue throughout UFC’s official channels. Polymarket will host markets to accompany these discussions, giving followers one other strategy to take part.

Large second for the Polygon ecosystem

In the meantime, this partnership focuses on fan engagement. The cryptocurrency neighborhood rapidly acknowledged that Polymarket was constructed on Polygon. Sandeep Nailwal mentioned this second feels particular and never simply because he is a UFC fan. However that is as a result of he supported Polymarket via its early struggles. His put up emphasised that the mission had survived “in opposition to all adversity.” He additionally sees the deal as validation of his long-term imaginative and prescient. The partnership may also be prolonged to Zuffa Boxing and can launch in early 2026. Polymarket additionally enhances its predictive capabilities throughout these occasions. It additionally contains in-arena activations and particular digital content material.

Collaborating in dwell sports activities tournaments utilizing Web3

Beginning in 2026, all UFC and Zuffa boxing occasions within the U.S. might be streamed solely on Paramount+. This transfer will permit Polymarket’s predictive scoreboards to succeed in a good wider viewers. TKO says its purpose is to rework sports activities followers from passive viewers to energetic members. Prediction markets powered by Web3 might be the instrument to make that change occur. The partnership with UFC marks a brand new period in mainstream visibility for Polygon and Polymarket. For followers, it is a model new strategy to expertise each battle in actual time.