Round 5 collectibles agrees to sub-licensing deal with UFC, JAKKS

JAKKS Pacific, Inc., leading U.S. toymaker and master toy licensee for the UFC, announced today a sub-licensing agreement with MMA collectibles company, Round

JAKKS Pacific, Inc., leading U.S. toymaker and master toy licensee for the UFC, announced today a sub-licensing agreement with MMA collectibles company, Round 5 Corp., to share UFC and MMA talent. The agreement will allow both companies access to the biggest MMA fighters in order to manufacture, market and distribute action figures and related products under the UFC umbrella.

As a result, both companies now have access to a significantly larger MMA talent pool, including Randy Couture, Andrei Arlovski, Matt Hughes, Clay Guida, Chuck Liddell, Forrest Griffin, Brock Lesnar, B.J. Penn and other top MMA fighters.

"This is truly a match made in heaven and we are excited to enter into this agreement with Round 5," said Jeremy Padawer, SVP Boys Entertainment Marketing, JAKKS Pacific. "As the master toy licensee for the UFC, JAKKS can now offer MMA fans an entire world of action figures, accessories and other collectibles encompassing the most notable fighters in the fight world. The synergy between JAKKS and Round 5 will ensure cohesive and comprehensive merchandise offering at retail that will benefit all parties involved, including JAKKS, Round 5 and the UFC, as well as the MMA fighters themselves, and most importantly, MMA fans."

JAKKS' new UFC line of toys and collectibles is expected to be available at retailers nationwide starting this Fall, with plans to roll out the newly acquired talent beginning as early as Spring 2010. Along with the full line of deluxe articulated action figures, JAKKS also expects to offer Octagon playsets, accessories and role play toys based on the UFC, Pride Fighting Championship and the WEC.

"We want to provide fans with the most complete and authentic line of UFC products," said UFC president Dana White. "This agreement with JAKKS Pacific and Round 5 brings the biggest players in the MMA action figure world together -- now our fans will have access to the best and most diverse line of action figures."

Damon Lau, president of Round 5, stated, "We are thrilled to partner with JAKKS and UFC, and we are confident that our teamwork will produce a more comprehensive product offering for MMA fans. In addition, JAKKS and R5 will facilitate marketing and distribution efficiencies at retail to increase exposure of our core product offerings. We are very excited to expand our line of 6-inch display collectible figurines and 10-inch display collectible statues with more of the biggest names in MMA."

In speaking with SI.com', Lau said, "We like to say that JAKKS Pacific is creating a product called a "play" collectible and we're creating a product called a "display" collectible, so the positioning of our products is really geared toward the fan who wants to have a cool collectible in his cubicle or his collector's case at home. Taking a look at the product between us and JAKKS, you can see that we're addressing different consumers, but more importantly we're offering more products to the consumer."