MF & DAZN: X SERIES
NEW CROSSOVER SERIES PROMOTED BY MISFITS BOXING WILL SEE THE BIGGEST GLOBAL NAMES IN ENTERTAINMENT, SPORT, AND LIFESTYLE HEADLINING BLOCKBUSTER FIGHT NIGHTS
MF & DAZN: X SERIES 001 ANNOUNCED AS SERIES PREMIERE FEATURING
KSI VS. ALEX WASSABI
ON 27 AUGUST AT THE O2, LONDON
LIVE WORLDWIDE ON DAZN
Undercard Line-Up Announced including Faze Temper vs. Blueface, Deji vs. Fousey and Sam Hyde vs. IAMTHMPSN
London, July 15, 2022 – DAZN Group, the global sports entertainment company, today unveils a ground-breaking partnership with social media megastar KSI and his promotional company Misfits Boxing, in association with the Sauerland brothers, Wasserman Boxing and Proper Loud.
The partnership will launch the new MF & DAZN: X Series – a pioneering new crossover series that will showcase the biggest global names in entertainment, sport, and lifestyle facing each other in blockbuster boxing events. These spectacular fight nights will bring boxing fans all around the world the premium and professional live sports action guaranteed with DAZN alongside a supercharged production fit for the stars and icons of the entertainment world and beyond.
The series premiere, MF & DAZN: X SERIES 001, powered by Misfits Boxing, will be headlined by KSI and see the larger-than-life British phenom look to avenge his brother’s loss against long-time rival and American YouTube sensation Alex Wassabi at The O2 on Saturday 27 August.
Another round of tickets has now been released including all production holds priced between £20-£40. Tickets are on sale now at AXS.com & Ticketmaster.co.uk
The 27 August blockbuster will be available to subscribers around the world on DAZN. In the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Ireland, the event will be offered on DAZN Pay-Per View (PPV).
“DAZN’s mission is to deliver the best schedule in boxing for the best price, but also to reach new audiences and the next generation of fight fans. Partnering with the platforms of the biggest stars in entertainment will only help us do that,’ said Joseph Markowski, EVP at DAZN Group. ‘We see this partnership as a major growth opportunity for our business. In partnering with KSI, with whom we have previously achieved record-breaking success, we will build a long-term presence as the home of a new, emerging sports category. Tune in on 27 August for an incredible night that will showcase competitive pro matchups featuring the biggest crossover names alongside DAZN’s best-in-class production capabilities.”
The new KSI-led promotional company, Misfits Boxing, launches after the megastar and his management team, Proper Loud, combined with the Sauerland brothers at Wasserman Boxing. This launch celebrates the forming of a new powerhouse in the boxing promotion company to stage the world’s biggest and best crossover boxing events.
With over 50 million followers across his social media platforms, a number 1 hit album, multiple BRIT Award nominations and an unbeaten record in the ring, KSI is one of the world’s most recognisable faces. His record-breaking foray into boxing commanded global attention when he fought fellow social media megastar Logan Paul live on DAZN in 2019.
With over 18 million followers and 4.5 billion views, Alex Wassabi is one of the most recognized Filipino American content creators of the past 16 years. While Alex originally set out to bring laughter and joy to millions of viewers through his sketch comedy skits, his focus now is firmly on boxing with his first victory coming in March, beating KSI’s younger brother Deji. Alex’s goal is to prove that through discipline, hard work and the love of competition – anything is possible.
Joining the main event on the undercard will be thrilling matchups between other social superstars, including Faze Temper vs. Blueface, Deji vs. Fousey and Sam Hyde vs. IAMTHMPSN. Further bouts will be announced in due course.
KSI, CEO of Misfits Boxing, said “I’m back. After almost 3 years, I have returned to take over once again. First on the list is Alex Wassabi. The one who I’ve laughed at many times on my YouTube channel. The one that thinks he will destroy me at his weight. The one who defeated my brother. I’m here to avenge him (Deji) and show the world why I am a force to be reckoned with. HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA”
Alex Wassabi commented “I came to the UK this past March and beat one Olatunji brother and now I’m coming back to finish off the other one all in the same year. Big Deji has no idea what he’s gotten himself into. While he’s been making music, I’ve been in the gym with one thing on my mind, Victory. 2-0 on the way. Thanks to my team & Most Valuable Promotions for getting this across the finish line.”
President of Misfits Boxing and CEO of Proper Loud, Mams Taylor said: “The demand for this exact thing has grown immensely ever since KSI and Logan Paul locked horns. There is no longer such a stigma attached to public figures putting on a pair of gloves and settling their scores in the ring but an air of fresh excitement. It’s clear most who participate in this area of the sport take their training very seriously and bring the entertainment to another level. Crossover boxing on a big stage like this, getting the limelight it deserves, was the inevitable and natural progression in the evolution of this part of the sport. We are thrilled to be leading the way with it with all we have in store for the near future and beyond. KSI and I knew the appetite for this is only growing. We took our time to get this right and it was essential for us to work with the best partners in the business. Which is exactly what we did by partnering with Wasserman and DAZN. We are so excited to kick off this event on 27 August, it is truly the dawn of a new era for crossover boxing, and you are going to see familiar faces from all areas of entertainment gravitating towards this arena.”
“Misfits Boxing represents a groundbreaking collaboration which will dominate the massively growing crossover boxing industry,” said Kalle Sauerland, Head of Global Boxing at Wasserman Boxing. “We enter this new world already equipped with the best team in the business. We have all the expertise of showcasing the best worldwide boxing events and mixed with the unrivalled talent of KSI and Proper Loud, there are truly no limits to what we can achieve together. I am as excited as the rest of the team, and all associated with Misfits Boxing and the MF & DAZN: X Series, and the anticipation of our debut event is thrilling.”
Reimagining the way people enjoy sports, DAZN is available in over 200 countries and territories. It is the leading sports broadcaster in Japan, Germany, Italy, and Spain, where it has top tier football rights as well as a range of other exciting live and non-live sports content. With further expansion planned, DAZN’s ambition is to become an indispensable part of sports fans’ lives – a true destination – shortly offering recreational betting, news, e-commerce, and gaming and introducing richer and more interactive entertainment for customers to enjoy alongside live sports.
