LEADERSHIP
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 Australians
8 March 2016