SLAM consolidates European MMA with a majority stake acquisition in Hexagone MMA
SLAM, an investment fund managed by TRAIL, announces the acquisition of a majority stake in Hexagone MMA (Final Round Productions), a leading professional MMA league in France, which joins Ares Fighting Championship within its portfolio. This investment is part of SLAM’s strategy to build the leading MMA platform in Europe.
MMA has experienced sustained growth momentum in Europe over the past several years, driven by the engagement of a young audience, increasing event attendance and the growing interest of broadcasters and brands in the discipline. In France, the market has accelerated significantly since the legalization of professional MMA in 2020, now bringing together more than 3 million fans.
Ares Fighting Championship and Hexagone MMA currently operate under distinct and complementary event models:
̶ Ares Fighting Championship, a premium league recognized as a gateway to the UFC, supports the best talents toward the highest professional level and unites a passionate fanbase. The organization deploys a flagship event format in major French venues, with high-end audiovisual production and structuring media partnerships, including broadcast on Canal+ and UFC Fight Pass, making it an established brand on the European MMA scene;
̶ Hexagone MMA, a leading European league based in France and broadcast on RMC Sport, has established itself as a major player in the MMA market through a differentiating strategy based on the detection of the best talents, the integration of high-profile fighters and events showcasing the best European fighters. With a unique touring model approach, the organization enters major metropolitan areas and several European markets.
SLAM thus significantly strengthens its position as the leading integrated MMA platform in France: talent detection and development within the group’s academies, athlete management and representation, organization of more than 30 events per year with Ares Fighting Championship and Hexagone MMA, and media content production. This ecosystem, unique in Europe, enables support for fighters at every stage of their career and offers broadcasters, brands and fans a coherent and comprehensive MMA proposition.
Xavier Marin, President of SLAM, states: « This acquisition marks a structuring milestone in our strategy to consolidate European MMA. We will support Hexagone MMA in its development alongside its teams. Our mission is to give fans the best MMA fights with an exceptional experience, whether in the arena or on their screens. »
Laurent Pourrut, President of Hexagone MMA, adds: « Joining the SLAM group is a major milestone for us. Hexagone MMA has always had a European vision, with French expertise. We will accelerate our development, our sporting project and our relationship with passionate fans within a group that shares our vision for MMA and gives us the means to achieve our European ambition. »
With two complementary leagues operating under distinct brands, strengthened national coverage and leading media partnerships, SLAM asserts itself as the major player in MMA in France and intends to accelerate its development on a European scale.
About SLAM
SLAM is the first investment fund managed by TRAIL dedicated to the sport, luxury, arts and music industries. SLAM identifies and supports the best companies in these sectors to turn them into global champions. SLAM fosters crossovers between these industries of growth, resilience, innovation and French excellence, in service of its investors’ performance.
To learn more, visit our website or follow us on LinkedIn.
About Hexagone MMA
Since its creation in 2021, Hexagone MMA has established itself as a leading league in the European mixed martial arts landscape. With French roots and European ambition, the organization has built its success city by city, country by country, offering the best of MMA in prestigious and iconic settings. From the Zénith de Paris to the ancient theater of Orange, through Dubai, Germany and the Netherlands, Hexagone MMA has delivered a series of remarkable events, attracting the world’s leading broadcasters, such as DAZN, TNT Sports and most recently RMC Sport.
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