Exclusive Interview with Fight ID Founder James: Bringing Combat Sports into the Digital World

This issue of Wu Shuo interviews Fight ID founder James Zhang, discussing the collaboration history and future plans between Fight ID and UFC. Fight ID is a Web3-based fighting ecosystem in partnership with the UFC. James explains how Fight ID provides users with a digital identity in the MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) world through three core elements: identity verification, reputation points (FP), and Fight Token, offering digital participation and interaction for fight fans, joining the “Digital Tribe,” and tracking reputation, earning rewards, and accessing exclusive content on-chain.

This article does not constitute investment advice. The guest’s personal opinions do not represent Wu Shuo’s views. Readers should strictly comply with local laws and regulations. The audio transcript was generated by GPT and may contain errors.

Origin of the Fight ID project and founder background

James: I am James Zhang, CEO and founder of Concept Labs and Fight Fi, and the developer of Fight ID. I used to be a video game developer and an artist at Lucasfilm, and I also participated in a game company’s IPO. Even back then, I was involved with cryptocurrencies and entered the Web3 space alongside many game industry developers. In 2017, I started exploring cryptocurrencies, participating in early projects like CryptoKitties and NBA Top Shots, raising funds to enter the NFT space, and I have always been passionate about sports. Later, we reached an agreement with Concept Labs to acquire UFC licensing, which eventually developed into the Fight ID project. As a dedicated MMA fan, I saw a huge opportunity to combine fighting sports with the digital ecosystem, aiming to make viewers stakeholders, which is what we are doing now.

Partnership between Fight ID and UFC and strategies to promote on-chain fan engagement

James: This partnership began three years ago when we had the opportunity to acquire UFC Strike, a project by Dapper Labs similar to NBA Top Shots (a blockchain digital collectibles platform in collaboration with the NBA), but tailored specifically for UFC. On this platform, classic UFC moments are made into NFTs for sale. We found a strong overlap between MMA fans and the crypto community, so we believed there was great potential in building a UFC digital collectibles marketplace. A few months later, we completed the acquisition and became partners. Today, the UFC Strike platform features a game called UFC Strike Now, where players can predict fight outcomes and earn Fight Points (FP), which can be used to qualify for free tickets. This is the core of our collaboration, aiming to turn viewers into stakeholders.

Over the past two years, many fans have engaged with our ecosystem through these collaborations, experiencing this innovative approach.

Core components of Fight ID: identity, reputation points, ownership

James: We all spend a lot of time online, and many close friends and entertainment activities are digital, so identity is also a part of you and should belong to you. For us, your identity is Fight ID. Anyone can create an ID in two minutes and join in. The more you participate, the higher your reputation in the community. If life is a video game, creating a Fight ID profile grants you experience points (FP), which are reputation points. The more you do, the more Fight Points you earn, which can be used to qualify for free tickets.

Ownership is realized through Fight Token. Fight Token is a tradable digital asset representing your ownership stake in the digital tribe. Similar to cryptocurrencies—owning Bitcoin means being part of the Bitcoin ecosystem—owning Fight Token makes you part of the Fight ecosystem. The more you participate, the higher your reputation level, and the more rewards you receive.

According to our roadmap, digital products like prize fights, fan-favorite fighters, and fight moments are planned. We may airdrop to favorite fighters, for example, when they win three consecutive matches (which is very rare in fighting sports). The benefit of this approach aligns with our philosophy—tribal incentives should be balanced to benefit both fighters and the community. Locking tokens can reduce market sell pressure and better support the community.

Are there decay mechanisms, seasonal resets, or caps for FP points?

James: FP points have seasonal resets, currently in Season 5. Each season starts from zero points, but you retain all previously accumulated Fight Points. There is no cap on points, nor is there a decay mechanism, so each season’s reset is fair, providing equal opportunities for new and old users.

How to relate FP points to actual behaviors (such as registration, payment, retention)?

James: FP distribution is triggered through identity verification and evaluated based on verifiable behaviors, focusing on subsequent actions rather than just activity volume. FP points are only awarded when users complete goals defined by partners, such as registration, wallet top-up, or staking in fighter communities.

These behaviors can be verified via on-chain data or event telemetry. If FP points include metadata linked to specific actions, they will be recorded and validated. Since FP points are non-transferable, they cannot be farmed or resold. The only way to earn more points is through ongoing participation—doing things that partners care about, such as increasing retention, repeated engagement, and deep payments.

For example, Fight Mania is a geofenced activity where scanning a QR code grants 5 points, increasing ranking and earning rewards. Over time, FP points become not just rewards but signals of quality. Users with high FP points tend to convert better, retain longer, and generate more value.

Discussion on Fight ID community member incentives and exit mechanisms

James: Staking within the fighter community is a membership system with safeguards. Staking is not permanent and has a clear cooldown exit mechanism. Regarding content participation, we set expectations in advance. If a community performs poorly, governance can adjust rewards, pause new member onboarding, or guide existing members to exit orderly. Our goal is to ensure aligned interests, not just punishment, which highlights the importance of governance mechanisms.

Fight ID’s target for 2026: 10 million identity verifications and active FP users

James: By 2026, we have three goals. The first is Fight ID verifications, aiming for 10 million, as identity verification is the foundation for user entry into the ecosystem. We have already made significant progress here. The second is FP holders, also targeting 10 million. Each Fight ID user should be an active FP user to ensure participation and reputation rewards. The third is the size of the DAO treasury, which is harder to predict as it depends on our target audience. In practice, we already have sustainable revenue streams, which are injected into the DAO treasury to support long-term ecosystem growth. These three goals collectively demonstrate our scale, engagement, and sustainability—what matters most.

Future growth strategies for Fight ID: deepen UFC cooperation and explore diversification

James: While UFC collaboration has provided a huge acceleration for Fight.ID, we do not rely on a single distribution channel. Fight.ID aims to build a portable identity and reputation system for fighting culture, not just serve UFC events. Besides UFC, we are actively developing other growth drivers, including fighter-led communities, fan clubs, and prediction products aligned with broader MMA event calendars. We are also integrating Fight ID with other MMA-related products, creators, and partners to drive payment, merchandise, and application identity infrastructure.

Once fans have Fight.ID and Fight Points history, these values will accumulate across seasons, leagues, and experiences, surpassing single promotional campaigns. Our investors and advisors, including thought leaders in Web3 like Luca Nets and Ray Chan, have already provided strong endorsements. This support enables our project to gain recognition both in MMA and Web3 worlds, which is why our project is so powerful.

UFC Strike digital collectibles and Fight ID integration

James: UFC Strike is Fight ID’s exclusive licensed product, offering rewards to UFC Strike holders. Simply owning these digital collectibles grants Fight Points. Licensed digital collectibles have unique appeal—they can accompany you anywhere and connect directly with the brand.

For example, owning our recently launched UFC Strike limited edition Telegram emoji pack, which is linked directly to your Telegram profile, instantly shows which digital tribe you belong to—like a badge. Unlike physical collectibles (like Pokémon cards), digital collectibles can be displayed anytime in the digital space. Especially today, when most of our lives are online, digital collectibles provide an innovative experience for those unfamiliar with cryptocurrencies.

In short, Fight ID is a free pass that allows fight fans to participate in their favorite sport, earn rewards, and deepen their involvement in the fighting ecosystem. If you see your sports fan identity as playing a video game, you need to join this guild, level up, and play with the best. That’s why you should register Fight ID and join the guild.

Real-world applications of Fight ID and future prospects of Fight Token

James: Incorporating real-world elements into Web3 products indeed has a profound impact on future token interactions. Content, roadmap, staking in governance, real-world products and events, and actual revenue are interconnected, ultimately providing a unique experience for global fight fans. The Fight ID platform aligns incentives among brands, fighters, and fans through Fight Token.

Most importantly, Fight ID aims to become a top Web3 brand in the fighting sports field. We believe there is still a gap in this area. Joining this tribe will give you access to exclusive merchandise, rewards, and experiences that cannot be bought, as well as interactions with top people—all driven by Fight Token.

Our future vision is to cover all major sports and build a SportFi sports ecosystem. We hope everyone is confident in this project and optimistic about its future development.