UFC Renews Partnership With Cleveland Clinic

The UFC has re-upped their partnership with the Cleveland Clinic and will provide a $1 million contribution toward a pro athletes brain health study. The UFC announced on Thursday that they are renewing their partnership with the academic medical center, a partnership that goes back to 2011, in a multiyear extension.

The announcement noted:

“UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, today announced a multiyear extension of its longstanding collaboration with Cleveland Clinic, continuing its support of the Professional Athletes Brain Health Study through 2030. WWE and Zuffa Boxing, which, together with UFC, are part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO), will also join the study through athlete participation and financial support.

This renewed commitment, which is backed by a $1 million contribution from UFC to the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health in Las Vegas, ensures that research will continue to help determine the long-term effects of repetitive head trauma and factors that put people at higher risk of developing chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). Since joining the landmark study in 2011, UFC has committed more than $3 million via four rounds of financial support.”

UFC COO Lawrence Epstein said in a statement, “We are proud to renew our commitment to supporting Cleveland Clinic’s groundbreaking work. The research conducted by Dr. Bernick and his team is helping identify early indicators of potential health issues and giving athletes access to information that can help support informed decisions about their health, safety, and long-term well-being during their active careers and beyond.”

The Professional Athletes Brain Health Study was established in 2011. It seeks to examine the cumulative effects of repetitive concussive and sub-concussive impacts to the brain in professional athletes including combat sports, professional bull riders, hockey players, motorsports drivers and other sports exposed to repetitive head impacts.

Over 900 active and retired athletes have enrolled in the study to date, with voluntary participation. Athletes in the study receive free, ongoing assessments of brain health and function, including MRI scans. Individual tests are repeated annually.