UFC is reportedly considering a purchase of the naming rights for the new 20,000-seat arena currently being built in Las Vegas, according to KLAS-TV's Chris Maathuis (h/t MMAJunkie).
The arena, which is set to open in April of next year and will host UFC 200, is expected to trigger a serious battle for its naming rights, and per Maathuis, UFC is already in discussion with MGM Resorts International and AEG Live, who own the facility:
Part of UFC's enormous international appeal is the fact fights are being staged all over the world, but plenty of the organisation's marquee events have been held in Las Vegas, which has emerged as something of a centre for combat sports in the last two decades.
The new arena is being built with boxing and MMA in mind, with the possibility of bringing an NHL franchise to Nevada as well, per MMAJunkie.
Boxing is still the first sport that comes to mind for many when Las Vegas is mentioned, and having the UFC's brand name plastered all over this new facility would be a major coup for the organisation.
Jeremy Botter of Bleacher Report is a fan:
That would be quite the thing, if it comes to fruition. The UFC Center? I can dig it.
— Jeremy Botter (@jeremybotter) October 28, 2015
Having such a spectacular new facility carry the UFC name would push the brand of the sport to new heights, but there are even more advantages that could come into play.
As mentioned before, the UFC stages its cards all over the world, but by turning the UFC Center?or whatever they would call it?into the organisation's central hub or top venue, the arena could effectively work as an added incentive, with fighters working their way up to earn the right to do battle at what could become the UFC's most iconic Octagon.
The new Las Vegas arena will likely become one of the most recognisable the city has to offer and should rival the MGM Grand Garden Arena for the top cards in both boxing and UFC before long.
Bidding for the naming rights should be fierce, but given the UFC's spectacular growth in the last decade, there's no reason to believe the organisation couldn't pull this off.
