THIS ISN’T ANOTHER story about
a start-up growing into a new hot trend
before quickly running out of steam.
With a new emerging Australian
market centred around women
and children, the Ultimate Fighting
Championship (UFC) GYM franchise
appears to be here to stay.
Last year’s epic UFC 193 bout
between underdog Holly Holm and
global icon ‘Rowdy’ Ronda Rousey
drew over 56,000 fans at Melbourne’s
Etihad Stadium, the highest
attendance in UFC history.
With another UFC event set for
March 20 in Brisbane, the sport’s
popularity is at an all-time high.
“(UFC 193) drove the UFC brand
to a mainstream media in Australia,”
said UFC GYM Australia CEO Maz
Hagemrad. “There was media
coverage surrounding that fight for
months, and that really assisted us in
what we’re trying to achieve.”
The brand has quickly capitalised
on this, as at the end of 2015, UFC
GYM announced its partnership with
Ultimate Franchising Group to expand
into Australia.
PLANS FOR EXPANSION
Since making its debut in 2009, UFC
GYM has opened over 135 locations
combined throughout Australia,
the United States and Canada. The
Sydney gym was opened by the
United States team in March 2013,
while the franchise model was initially
launched in November 2015.
Hagemrad believes most Australians8 March 2016LEADERSHIP