Noche UFC

ABOUT THIS ENTRY

Noche UFC was a groundbreaking celebration of Mexican Independence Day weekend, blending cultural authenticity, cutting-edge technology, and immersive fan engagement. As the first live sporting event at Sphere Las Vegas, UFC delivered a visually stunning and deeply meaningful experience through a six-chapter film, For Mexico, For All Time, which honored Mexico’s history, mythology, and fighting spirit. The event set multiple records, including the highest-grossing UFC event ever ($22M), while engaging fans through in-person activations, digital storytelling, and innovative broadcast integrations. Noche UFC redefined sports entertainment, setting a new standard for excellence in engagement.

How does this represent "Excellence in Engagement"?

Noche UFC represented excellence in engagement by seamlessly integrating cultural authenticity, innovative technology, and fan interaction into a groundbreaking live event.

By leveraging Sphere Las Vegas’s state-of-the-art capabilities, UFC crafted an unparalleled experience that went beyond traditional sports entertainment. The event’s storytelling framework—anchored by a six-chapter film merged history, mythology, and combat sports, engaging audiences while celebrating Mexico’s rich heritage.

Between live MMA bouts, Noche UFC premiered an original film, For Mexico, For All Time, on Sphere’s massive plane, building a connective narrative for the event. For Mexico, For All Time was told in six 90-second chapters that focused on different periods in Mexican history and their influence on the nation’s identity. Detailed CGI “worlds” also accompanied each chapter of the film, bringing audiences into ancient Mexico, through the evolution of unarmed combat, and alongside freedom fighters.

By blending cultural storytelling, cutting-edge visuals, and multi-platform engagement, Noche UFC not only set a new standard for live events, but set numerous records, including the highest-grossing UFC event ever and Sphere’s highest-grossing single event. Sponsorship sales, merch sales and VIP package revenue all bested previous highs.

Objective

Noche UFC was a vibrant celebration of Mexican Independence Day weekend, paying tribute to the Mexican people, their culture, fighting spirit, and profound contributions to combat sports.

Our goal for Noche UFC Fight Week was to craft an immersive experience that invited fans worldwide to celebrate with UFC. At its core was a deep commitment to authentically honoring Mexican heritage, guided by Dana White’s vision of delivering a once-in-a-lifetime sporting spectacle—"A Love Letter to Mexico."

To bring this vision to life, we fully leveraged the cutting-edge capabilities of Sphere Las Vegas. Utilizing its 160,000-square-foot 16K-resolution media plane inside and the massive 580,000-square-foot Exosphere, we created a visually stunning experience that told a powerful, authentic story. As the first brand to host a live sporting event at this revolutionary venue, UFC set a new standard for immersive fan engagement, captivating audiences from the moment they arrived.

Strategy & Execution

For Noche UFC we assembled a multidisciplinary team—including Nexus Studios, Carlos López Estrada’s Antigravity Academy, and cultural consultants—to create an immersive experience. Artists, designers, animators, and technical directors collaborated to produce a six-chapter film using CGI, hand-drawn animation, procedural simulations, and live action. Each chapter uniquely transported fans through Mexico’s history, mythology, and future.

The cultural transformation extended beyond the Sphere’s media planes to every aspect of the event, including broadcast packages, digital content, and in-person activations. Athlete fight kits honored ancient Aztec gods, symbolizing power, resilience, and unity, while the Octagon Girls' attire reflected the intricate Mexican narrative.

The marketing strategy kicked off with a bold statement on the 580,000-square-foot Exosphere, ensuring maximum visibility and engagement. On event day, UFC took over the Sphere grounds with a 30,000-square-foot Fan Experience featuring live Mariachi performances, Folkloric dancers, and athlete meet-and-greets. On event night, fans were welcomed into an atrium lit in the colors of the Mexican Flag, filled with the beautiful Papel Picado panels and cultural installations, including holograms of fighters and Dana White speaking in both English and Spanish, guaranteeing an unforgettable experience.

Organizations

• UFC
• Silent House Partners
• BLINK
• Antigravity Academy
• Germaine Franco
• Silent Partners Studios
• Marina Toybina
• Sktch
• Proto

Featured

• Sean O' Malley
• Merab Dvalishvili
• Alexa Grasso
• Valentina Shevchenko
• Diego Lopes
• Brian Ortega
• Carlos López Estrada
• Germaine Franco
• Gael García Bernal
• Glenn Weiss
• Marina Toybina

Credits

Dana White
CEO
UFC

Craig Borsari
Executive Vice President, Chief Content Officer & Executive Producer
UFC

Heidi Noland
Senior Vice President, Global Brand and Creative
UFC

Zachary Candito
‪EVP & Coordinating Producer, Live Event Production
UFC

Chris Kartzmark
Executive Vice President, Production and Programming
UFC

Tucker Greene
‪Senior Vice President, Originals Production
UFC

Baz Halpin
Producer
Silent House Partners

Linda Gierhan
Producer
Silent House Parnters

Mark Bracco
Producer
Silent House Partners

Tom Colbourne
Screens Content Producer
Blink

Richard Cullen
Screens Content Producer
Blink

Carlos López Estrada
Segments Director
Antigravity Academy

Valerie Bush
Segments Producer
Antigravity Academy

Germaine Franco
Film Score Composer
Germaine Franco

JT Rooney
Creative Producer
Silent Partners Studio

Marina Toybina
Costume Designer
Marina Toybina

Jordyn Czarnomski
Experiential Producer
Sktch

David Nussbaum
Founder
Proto Hologram