Las Vegas – UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and O2 Industries, a leading manufacturer of reusable respirators since 2014 based in Waterloo Region, today announced a multi-year global partnership in which O2 Industries will provide UFC athletes with respiratory products for every UFC event, including the all new Tactical Respirator II (TR2), a premium respirator built to protect wearers through heavy daily use.
The partnership begins this weekend, as UFC makes its return to UFC FIGHT ISLAND, the follow up to the massively successful series of UFC events which became a cultural phenomenon that captivated the sports world. The first event, UFC 253: ADESANYA vs. COSTA, takes place Saturday, Sept. 26, with the main card beginning at 10 p.m. ET.
Designed to protect wearers through heavy daily use, the TR2 was built for the fighters of the world. Whether you’re a professional athlete, frontline healthcare worker, military or police personnel, the TR2 offers premium protection without prohibiting movement, with soft-touch medical-grade silicone, multiple strap options, and built-in flex zones for improved comfort and head articulation. The TR2 is extremely breathable, even during strenuous activities.
“This partnership with O2 Industries is an amazing opportunity for both of our brands to reach consumers who would value this product,” said Paul Asencio, UFC Senior Vice President of Global Partnerships. “We are all learning about the potential health and safety benefits of respirators and masks in these challenging times, and UFC provides an enormous platform to help communicate that message to a global audience.”
“At O2 Industries, we’ve designed our respirators to hold up against life's hardest challenges, so we are thrilled that one of the world’s toughest sports has selected us as their official respirator of choice,” said Rich Szasz, CIO of O2 Industries. “We’ve built our masks to withstand the stressors of high-impact environments, and this partnership is a testament to our ability to protect those in the most physically demanding situations, including front-line workers, police, military and world-class athletes.”
Under the terms of the partnership, O2 Industries branding will be featured in select UFC Pay-Per-Views and Fight Nights for the remainder of 2020. Beginning in 2021, O2 Industries will be prominently featured in all UFC Pay-Per-Views through the remainder of the partnership.
Marketing assets include a branded presence inside and around the world-famous Octagon; custom integrations in UFC’s telecasts; unique digital and social media content; and in-venue booth activations at select events. UFC and O2 Industries will also coordinate to provide respiratory products for each athlete on every fight card for optional use during official UFC fight week activities.
In addition, UFC and O2 Industries will collaborate to produce an original, long-form content series documenting the design and development of a new custom Performance Respirator.
UFC events are broadcast to a global audience in 175 countries and territories in 40 different languages and reach approximately one billion TV households. UFC was the first major sports property in the U.S. to return with live events from the Covid-19 shutdown. Since resuming on May 9, UFC has held 16 events in the United States and four on UFC FIGHT ISLAND in Abu Dhabi without cancellation.
About UFC
UFC is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 318 million fans and 102 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world, while broadcasting to nearly one billion TV households across more than 175 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 65 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC was acquired in 2016 by global entertainment, sports and content company Endeavor, along with strategic investors Silver Lake Partners and KKR. UFC is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC, Twitter, Snapchat and Instagram: @UFC.
About O2 Industries
Established in 2014, O2 Industries is a Canadian respiratory protection company based in Kitchener, Ontario. Grown from a desire to make a difference in people's lives and a passion to improve air quality around the world, our innovative respirators protect you from harmful particles, so you can breathe easier, feel healthier, and perform your best.
