UFC GYM is on the move. The brand that delivers MMA-inspired workouts is taking its unique style to countries all over the world.
“As a company we’re going to develop 50 clubs in the next quarter,” said Adam Sedlack, the president of UFC GYM. “We’re in 31 countries and are now a global brand bringing our MMA training methods to families all over the world. We’re partnering with the highest-caliber fitness operators in every country, and over the next 15 years, we could see 60 to 100 clubs open in countries like Russia, 500 in China, and so on.”
UFC GYM has a path for rapid international growth ahead of it. Along with plans to open its first two gyms in the UK and a 125,000-square-foot “super facility,” the brand has development deals signed for over 55 gyms in Russia, over 25 gyms in Saudi Arabia, and over 30 gyms in Shanghai, China to name a few. “We’re very excited to hopefully be going into Germany in 2019 as well, as we are in conversations with several groups there now — there’s significant opportunity there,” added Sedlack.
The brand is also experiencing significant domestic growth. By the end of the second quarter, UFC GYM will have opened 15 gyms in the U.S. and done so with the help of significant partners.
“We’re opening another gym with Alex Rodriguez in Florida, which is exciting,” said Sedlack. “And we’re in talks with other major athletes in the NFL, MLB and other sports organizations. When you start thinking about social connectivity and these huge personalities, that’s very helpful in growing the brand.”
For Sedlack and his team, growing the UFC GYM brand is about more than just bringing in more revenue. It’s about giving more members around the world the opportunity to be empowered on their fitness journeys.
“We’re getting members around the world to share in their objectives and accomplishments and the ‘why’ — it’s about how people, coaches and team members motivate people to come back,” said Sedlack. “That strategy translates across the globe.”
Keeping members’ needs in mind is what fuels UFC GYM and sets the brand apart. “Our differentiation comes down to how we tell our story,” said Sedlack. “Our brand has great equipment and amenities, but it’s about the infrastructure of empowering members — teaching them how to strike a bag, for example, or how to fuel their diets.”
The emphasis in every UFC GYM facility is on the member experience, and that’s why the brand continues to succeed, domestically and internationally.
“A lot of customers are joining multiple facilities at once to experience different brands on different days,” said Sedlack. “I think we’re very well positioned because we help them become a better version of themselves. We fill the gap in providing members with a purpose.”
