Mixed martial arts have always attracted people, but they have gained an exceptional level of popularity only recently. This was made possible, in large part, thanks to the development and propagation of means of broadcasting, including mobile devices, and the broad availability of high speed internet connections. The release of numerous types of fighting games on both mobile and console platforms has also fostered a positive image of fist fighting along with other martial arts. The big screen has also played a significant role in the adoption of fist fighting as an honorable and attractive type of sport that fosters male physique and appeal on an almost primal level. A huge number of different types of promotions with different rules is growing and developing throughout the world, opening entirely new avenues for the propagation of fist fighting in the media space.

One of the most important aspects acting in favor of the sports is the mentality of the broader audience. For most viewers, it does not matter which league or organization is hosting or organizing the fights. This sport attracts the attention of both amateur and professional level viewers and participants.

The growth in popularity of fighting leagues in values has been recorded year-on-year. For instance, the Professional Fighters’ League has been experiencing rapid growth with distribution on ESPN networks and streaming platforms in the USA and to more than 160 countries via premium sports networks and platforms and has experienced tremendous growth consecutively over the years  across digital channels – 68% follower increase on Instagram, 30% total audience growth across digital, and a 200% social engagement spike. The league has also seen short and long-term success on social media. The league says that its digital audience – where 70% are 18-34 – has grown 30% each year. In 2019 alone, total social media engagements grew by 200% across the PFL’s various platforms. Even without live events in April and May of 2020, the league saw its social media engagement rise 386% year-over-year.

The main difference with MMA promotion is that not only professionals, but also amateurs could participate in these fights. The viewers had a feeling of involvement in what was happening, because they saw amateurs, much like themselves, entering the octagon and fighting, thus conveying a sense of unison and personal connection.

Another factor raising even more interest towards fights is when each participant is given a sense of personification and their appearance in the ring begins with a short story about their background. Star fighters, excessive hype, heightened expectation of the tournaments and their spectacular nature are all factors that add viewership scores and spectators. Thus, a sport ceases to arouse mere interest as an activity, but becomes a real show.

YouTube is currently the main platform for advancing promotion. YouTube has a combined audience of over 2 billion users. The platform is available in 91 countries, and the interface is translated into 80 languages with the number of views reaching over 1 billion per day.

In Russia, YouTube ranks third in the top resources after Google and Yandex. The platform’s monthly audience reach is 82.8 million users, and 35.6 million users visit YouTube every day. On average, a user spends 51 minutes on YouTube daily.

As of May 2020, monthly mobile coverage in Russia has reached 69.9 million people, making up 84.4% of all traffic. With mobile traffic growing ever faster, it is becoming possible to transfer high-quality traffic from the channel to the application of the Hardcore product.