The Takedown | No MMA at Tokyo 2020 but Olympics must chase UFC crowd to capture youth
- Olympics going all out to capture millennials and generation Z with new sports but answer lies in MMA
- Just look at the interest in this weekend’s huge UFC 246 fight between Conor McGregor and Donald Cerrone
There’s no doubt what the biggest sporting event of the weekend is. As much as many would think Liverpool vs Manchester United is the heavyweight contest, the biggest punch globally is at UFC 246 where Conor McGregor makes his long anticipated return to the Octagon.
The Irishman takes on Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in Las Vegas and while the duo come in at welterweight there’s no doubting they are the real heavyweights of the weekend’s sporting calendar and the biggest event of the year so far.
As the year goes on, it’s Tokyo 2020 that will dominate the sporting calendar but the International Olympic Committee know that the history and prestige of the Summer Games is no longer enough.
That’s why they have added new sports to the Olympics in Japan this summer – skateboarding, surfing and speed climbing – to chase the youth market.
Paris in four years time is expected to go even further with its efforts to attract the cool kids.
