The UFC has become a titanic global brand, essentially becoming the official brand of mixed martial arts as a sport. That’s not to put down other promotions, but the sheer amount of money pumped into the UFC, its exposure, its draw for combatants from around the world, and its globe-trotting calendar set it well ahead of the rest. So, it only makes sense that it wants to continue to bank on its inherent marketability and that of its top athletes.
While Electronic Arts takes care of business on the video games front and ESPN+ is the current network showing The Ultimate Fighter reality series, it’s Games Global that’s brought the UFC to the newest form of popular entertainment in the US. Yet, there were, understandably, some eyebrows raised at some of the choices made in the creation of this immersive entertainment product.
Opting for the Most Recognisable
Games Global has remained one of the biggest names in iGaming for its substantial backlog of popular game series and their subsequent tie-ins to exclusive studios that have also made popular games and mechanics. This is where Fortune Factory Studios comes into play. Once Games Global earned the exclusive rights to making UFC-branded games, they handed the reins to Fortune Factory Studios.
To fully capitalize on the popularity of the UFC and to give it additional appeal to existing slot game players who, perhaps, aren’t as familiar with the promotion, they incorporated the hit Gold Blitz Extreme feature. Gold Blitz itself has become one of the most popular series in online casino gaming. When you click the view website button on any of the highly-rated platforms reviewed online, you can all but guarantee that you’ll spot many Gold Blitz slots.
It’s the Gold Blitz element that lets players know that the game is worth their time and bets as mechanics and titles in slot gaming simply don’t get popular or well-known if they don’t appease the players. To tap into the UFC fan base, the slot game UFC Gold Blitz Extreme pulls in several stars of the promotion. Amanda Nunes, Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, and Zhang Weili are all ready to fight in the game, and while they’re known stars, there may have been some more suitable selections available.
Picking the Best Fighters
As with any branded or licensed product, including the one tied to one of the legendary announcing brothers, the developers want to strike a balance between contemporary popularity and being as evergreen as possible. As it stands, Amanda Nunes is retired, Jon Jones’ last fight was in 2023 – his second since 2020 – and Conor McGregor is as good as retired, having lost both his last fights in 2021 and now being 36 years old.
Zhang Weili remains the only truly active fighter of the four, winning by unanimous decision at UFC 300 to retain the strawweight title. So, the developers will be relying on these fighters having an enduring legacy and enough star power to continue to appeal to UFC fans. On the flip side, as this will be the first in a series of slots, they could have opted to include some of the best fighters around right now.
For a more contemporary approach and one that taps into the hype and increasing fandom of active stars, flyweights Valentina Shevchenko, Manon Fiorot, or Erin Blanchfield could have joined Weili. On the men’s side, Islam Makhachev, Alex Pereira, and Ilia Topuria are all very highly rated, and while he is on a two-fight losing streak, Israel Adesanya remains wildly popular by all metrics.
Perhaps UFC Gold Blitz Extreme was the sure-footed first foot into the octagon. As the series is set to be expanded, down the line, the developers should be encouraged to get a bit more experimental and draw in the stars of the moment.
