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UFC signs its first major sponsorship deal

Motorcycle manufacturer Harley-Davidson has agreed a long-term sponsorship deal with the Ultimate Fighting Championship

The deal will see Harley-Davidson's logo placed in the centre of UFC's Octagon and include World Extreme Cagefighting, which Zuffa, UFC's parent company, bought in October 2006.

Mark-Hans Richer, Harley-Davidson's senior vice president and chief marketing officer, said: “ We see our brand embodied in these fighters: young, aggressive, hard working individuals who cut against the grain."

Last year UFC held 11 pay-per-view events and generated more than $200 million in customer retail revenue for the second year in a row.