STC to Serve as Presenting Sponsor of UFC® 297: STRICKLAND vs. DU PLESSIS in Toronto on January 20 at Scotiabank Arena
LAS VEGAS and TORONTO, Jan. 04, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- UFC®, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and Skilled Trades College of Canada (STC), the Canadian leader in training youth in skilled trades, today announced a new marketing partnership that showcases STC within UFC’s live events hosted in Canada, including Pay-Per-Views and Fight Nights.
“We’re thrilled to welcome STC as an official UFC partner,” said Grant Norris-Jones, Executive Vice President and Head of Global Sponsorships, UFC & WWE. “Their mission of providing young people vocational training to create a foundation for meaningful careers is a cause we are proud to use our UFC platforms to promote and support.”
As an official partner of UFC, STC will receive brand integrations within UFC’s Canadian live events, including high visibility placement inside the world-famous Octagon®, and in-venue booth activations that will provide opportunities for in-person fan engagement. In addition, UFC and STC will collaborate on custom content that will be distributed through UFC’s popular Canadian digital and social channels.
“To partner with UFC and serve as Presenting Partner of UFC 297 is incredibly exciting and meaningful to all of us at Skilled Trades College,” said Ralph Cerasuolo, President & Chief Executive Officer, Skilled Trades College. “For almost 20 years, Skilled Trades College of Canada has educated and trained people to be job ready in the skilled trades. Partnering with UFC reflects our shared values with an understanding that opportunities need to be earned and seized. Students at STC align with the qualities of grit, determination, and a work ethic that are necessary in the trades - and always visible inside the Octagon. Like UFC, we are always looking to evolve and innovate, and we are so excited to collaborate on such a meaningful endeavor. Together, we are unveiling a first-of-its-kind scholarship that will transform the lives of 12 youth with the Building Champions Scholarship.”
The Building Champions Scholarship is set to launch later this year and will unlock new opportunities for STC students. The initiative aims to grant a full scholarship to 12 students to use towards any STC pre-apprenticeship program.
Additionally, STC will host two viewing parties in 2024. The viewing parties will feature silent auctions with all proceeds benefiting Steel Toe Careers, a registered nonprofit in Toronto that provides scholarships to young people to gain equitable access to education and hands-on skills training to pursue a career in the construction industry.
“The construction industry is like being in the Octagon - the best trainers and coaches make the difference between winning and losing,” said Mike Di Donato, Chief Operating Officer, Skilled Trades College. “At STC we pride ourselves on providing the industry’s top training and employment services. We are excited to work with UFC on the Building Champions Scholarship, and having those winners be trained, job ready, and into meaningful employment.”
STC will begin activating its partnership with UFC during the highly anticipated UFC® 297: STRICKLAND vs. DU PLESSIS on Saturday, January 20 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto, where they will serve as the presenting sponsor. Returning to Toronto for the first time since 2018, the event will feature a thrilling world championship double header, headlined by a thrilling middleweight championship bout between Sean Strickland and No. 2 ranked contender Dricus Du Plessis. Also, a new women’s bantamweight champion will be crowned when No. 2 ranked contender Raquel Pennington battles Mayra Bueno Silva.
About UFC®
UFC® is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization (MMA), with more than 700 million fans and 243 million social media followers. The organization produces more than 40 live events annually in some of the most prestigious arenas around the world while broadcasting to over 900 million TV households across more than 170 countries. UFC’s athlete roster features the world’s best MMA athletes representing more than 80 countries. The organization’s digital offerings include UFC FIGHT PASS®, one of the world’s leading streaming services for combat sports. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com and follow UFC at Facebook.com/UFC and @UFC on X, Snapchat, Instagram, and TikTok: @UFC.
About Skilled Trades College of Canada
Founded in 2008, The Skilled Trades College of Canada (STC) is a registered career college under the Private Career College Act, 2005. STC has earned a reputation for excellence in Construction training and is acknowledged as best in class for its industry-relevant programming. As the Canadian leader in training youth for the skilled trades, STC offers year-round classes with its propriety transformative curriculum. STC delivers its hands-on training across five strategically placed campuses located across the GTA. To learn more about the STC and the Building Champions scholarship, visit skilledtradescollege.ca.
Press Contact for UFC:
Neil Springer
416.278.1605
nspringer@ufc.com
Press Contact for STC:
Tanya Cruz
416.254.2944
tcruz@theinfluenceagency.com
