We’re excited to announce that @DAZN_USA is the new home of #CombateAmericas in English!
Subscribe now to catch all the action of our tittle fight tomorrow! pic.twitter.com/Wfb7nVVcjI
— Combate Americas (@combateamericas) September 13, 2018
DAZN has burst onto the combat sports scene after signing international deals with Ultimate Fighting Championship and Bellator MMA. On Thursday, the streaming-based service announced that it has partnered with Combate Americas to bring English-language broadcasts to North American audiences.
DAZN Senior Vice President Joseph Markowski talked with Sherdog.com on Wednesday to explain how this new deal with Combate Americas will benefit MMA fans worldwide:
“The cost to be a fight fan, whether MMA or boxing, is absolutely ridiculous. Premium cable packages, pay-per-view costs — crazy price points, UFC Fight Pass, ESPN Plus…” Markowski told Sherdog on Wednesday. “It’s truly expensive being a fight fan, and our services are meant to create more accessibility for fans worldwide.”
It’s no secret that combat sports pay-per-views can cost upwards of $60, and coupled with the monthly costs of UFC Fight Pass and premium cable packages the costs can leave the average fight fan spending quite a bit of money for live MMA content, of which not everyone can afford.
Markowski highlighted the purpose behind their mission, as DAZN continues to change the way combat sports fans consume live content and the need for affordability when it comes to watching MMA and boxing bouts:
“It’s a great time to be a fight fan in the U.S. and now worldwide. DAZN provides live UFC content to international fans as well as Bellator events. There was a clear gap in the market for fan-friendly, accessible and inexpensive MMA content.”
As for Combate Americas, Markowski says fight fans in North America will be exposed to a whole region of up-and-coming fighters in an under-promoted market, as DAZN will broadcast no less than 13 live Combate Americas events per year:
“The quality of the fights and the audiences generated makes this a win-win for DAZN and fight fans. There are a lot of Hispanics and Latin-Americans in the U.S., we want to culturally appeal to Hispanic MMA fans in North America. Combate Americas puts on amazing fights, and we want to engage that fan base.”
DAZN’s rights deal with Combate Americas begins with this Friday’s event in Phoenix and will feature an inaugural bantamweight title between Levy Marroquin and Jose Alday. The English language broadcast will feature analysts Gilbert Melendez and Julianna Pena in the commentary booth, with Max Bretos on the play-by-play call.