MUMBAI: Fox International Channels (Fic) has bagged multi-year exclusive TV distribution rights for the Ultimate Fighting
Championship.

The property will air in Hong Kong, Taiwan and Southeast Asia, Fox and Fox Movies Premium. The pay-TV network continues to add more live event television to its programming lineup. The deal includes fight events, such as UFC-144 which aired live on Fox Movies Premium last month, and other UFC programmes and events.

Fox is airing the 15th season of ?The Ultimate Fighter?, a reality show.

The UFC - a promoter of the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) - has held events in cities as diverse as Tokyo, London, Rio de Janeiro, Abu Dhabi and all over the US. UFC programming is available to over 1 billion people around the world.

In Asia, the popularity of the sport is growing rapidly with the rise of Asian UFC fighters such as Chan Sung Jung from Korea, dubbed the "Korean Zombie" and Tiequan Zhang from China, nicknamed "The Mongolian Wolf." Inspired by the UFC phenomenon, many MMA gyms and classes have also cropped up in cities across Asia to tap into the trend and cater to the growing fan base.

Fox International Channels president of Asia Pacific and the Middle East Ward Platt said, "Fic?s partnership with the UFC is breaking new ground by connecting audiences in Asia to the fastest growing sport in the world. We are already the leaders in general entertainment with the best series and movies, so this is a way for us to also bring live event television to our audiences."

Ultimate Fighting Championship MD of Asia Mark Fischer said, "There is a rapidly-growing base of die-hard UFC fans in Asia. With FIC?s great channel brands and leading position, we can?t think of better pay-TV network to partner with to reach these fans."

MUMBAI: SevenOne International, the worldwide distribution company of ProSiebenSat.1 Group, will open a branch office in Hong Kong.

The company, which has already sold TV formats to Asia in the past, will expand its activities there with the new Hong Kong office, which will also help manage the business with Australia.

English-speaking markets are becoming increasingly important for SevenOne International, as the distribution company?s portfolio includes more and more English-language fiction programs.

SevenOne International CEO Jens Richter said, "Already today, more than 50 percent of all the world?s TV households are located in Asia. This market offers tremendous long-term growth potential for us as a distribution company."

SevenOne International has already placed several formats in Asian TV markets. The TV station Jiang Su Satellite has aired 52 episodes of the SAT.1 show ?Mein Mann kann?. In 2011, the free-TV channel Shanghai Docu TV secured the rights to ProSieben?s knowledge magazine ?Galileo?. In 2005, Sat.1?s science show ?Clever? was broadcast in its original version with Barbara Eligmann and Wigald Boning. And China?s CCTV, broadcast all seasons of the German experimentation show with (Mandarin) Chinese subtitles.