The Ultimate Fighting Championship could be back in Perth by the end of the year, with Tourism Minister Rita Saffioti revealing the WA Government was in “very positive discussions” about bringing back the octagon.
More than 14,000 UFC fans packed out RAC Arena last February to watch Australian Alexander Volkanovski go toe-to-toe over five rounds with Russia’s Islam Makhachev for the lightweight title.
Releasing an economic impact assessment that found the event pumped $16 million into the State’s economy, Ms Saffioti teased an imminent repeat.
“We know how huge UFC was last year,” Ms Saffioti said.
“It broke a nearly 10-year record held by Sydney for the Rolling Stones in terms of gross ticketing revenue, and also had the highest number of ticket sales for a single sporting event in RAC Arena’s history.
“Off the back of this, we’re naturally very keen to have another UFC event here in Perth and are in very positive discussions to make that happen.”
UFC 284 last year was headlined by featherweight champion Volkanovski — who hails from Wollongong — falling just short in his bid to snatch the lightweight crown from Makhachev.
The event featured a dozen bouts across six-hours and took place in front of a sellout crowd of 14,124 – more than half of whom travelled from overseas or interstate.
According to the Cook Government, the spectacle generated more than 33,360 room nights – and more than quadrupled the $3.5 million economic impact from the UFC’s only other visit to Perth in 2018.
In the lead-up to UFC 284, 6000 fans flooded RAC Arena for the ceremonial weigh-in and a further 6000 visited Elizabeth Quay for a public press conference and to watch their favourite fighters working out.
The event itself was broadcast live to more than one billion households across the globe.
Perth will next Saturday host the similarly popular World Wrestling Entertainment Elimination Chamber event at Optus Stadium, which is also sold out.
Superstar wrestlers including Cody Rhodes, Logan Paul, Seth Rollins and Australia’s own Rhea Ripley will begin arriving in WA early this week.
A WWE superstore activation will take over Forrest Chase from February 22 to 25, offering fans an opportunity to pick up authentic T-shirts and title belts – and meet some of their heroes in the flesh.
WWE legend The Undertaker – one of the industry’s most recognisable figures – is also performing an intimate one-man show, including taking questions from the audience, at Fremantle Prison on Friday night.
Ms Saffioti said attracting showcase events like the UFC and WWE remained a central plank of the government’s push to attract visitors to the State.
“We have a deliberate and focused strategy to target major events to drive tourism to Western Australia for the economic benefit of WA businesses,” she said.
“(The success of UFC 284) shows the value of securing these major events, with huge visitation numbers and of course, millions of valuable tourism dollars being spent in our local hospitality venues, pubs, bars and restaurants.”