• Alta Global Group acquires media property The Underground and mixedmartialarts.com
  • The Underground has been instrumental in growing the sport globally since the 1990s
  • The company believes the acquisition will lead to accelerated growth and make it an industry powerhouse

 

Special Report:  Alta Global Group’s latest acquisition adds mixed martial arts’ most iconic digital community to its portfolio, further entrenching its media position within the world of martial arts and combat sports.

Alta Global Group has announced its strategic acquisition of media property, The Underground and mixedmartialarts.com and its popular discussion forum, The Underground.

A staple within the MMA community for 25 years, The Underground has been a pivotal brand in mixed martial arts from its earliest days to its current global prominence and is instrumental in growing the sport.

The company says the acquisition of The Underground and mixedmartialarts.com will reinforce its goal of bringing together the best resources, communities, and enthusiasts in the industry and promoting martial arts and combat sports participation.

Alta says has secured a significant foothold in the online combat sports world by acquiring a well-established and indexed URL and pre-eminent platform, which has been operating since 1998.

It says the acquisition opens exciting possibilities to engage audiences and drive customer growth for Alta and our gym partners.

The partnership provides Alta with the opportunity to strengthen its online presence in the martial arts and combat sports community across the US, and other key markets including Europe, Asia, Central and South America, and the Middle East.

The company believes the acquisition will lead to accelerated growth and make it a powerhouse in the industry with combined user profiles of 530,000, more than 9,000 published athlete profiles, and 5 million social media followers, along with 15 million monthly views.

Furthermore, the market intelligence Alta gains is also seen as an asset. Alta will have access to a wealth of data and forum discussions through the acquisition providing valuable insights into trends in the combat sports sector, helping it support gyms and other adjacent businesses adapt and optimise their offerings.

 

Acquisition in line with strategy

In September Alta announced it had bought fitness app Steppen, setting the stage for a tech-driven revolution enabling MMA gyms, coaches, and participants to foster deeper connections.

CEO and Founder Nick Langton says the acquisition of The Underground and mixedmartialarts.com aligns perfectly with Alta’s vision of uniting the industry’s best resources and communities.

Alta’s vision is to transform fans of MMA entertainment into fitness and lifestyle participants.

“Together, we’re poised to reshape the martial arts and combat sports industry, with increased participation driving growth and revenue for gyms and coaches globally,” Langton says.

The Underground owner and founder Kirik Jenness says the simultaneous emergence of mixed martial arts and the Internet in the 1990s birthed the rarest of moments in the sports history.

“With The Underground at the forefront, fans did not simply consume entertainment, but shaped MMA’s very development,” he says.

“Through strong and enduring relationships with multiple members of the Alta team, I learned the organisation is possessed by a visionary mission that maintains this unique tradition—to flourish not via butts in seats, but through connection, participation, and passion.

“Today mixedmartialarts.com is levelling up, again, massively.”

 

This article was developed in collaboration with Alta Global Group, a Stockhead advertiser at the time of publishing.  

This article does not constitute financial product advice. You should consider obtaining independent advice before making any financial decisions.

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