First UFC Event Ever to Be Held in Serbia, Scheduled for August 1, 2026 at Belgrade Arena  Meridianbet Leads the B2C Division of Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MRDN)  BELGRADE, Serbia, July  17, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)

MRDN

UFC Names Meridianbet Official Partner of Fight Night Belgrade

Meridianbet Named Official UFC Serbia Sponsor Ahead of First Belgrade Event

<section class="insight" data-version="1">
  <section data-block="information">
    <h3>Information</h3>
    <p>First UFC Event Ever to Be Held in Serbia, Scheduled for August 1, 2026 at Belgrade Arena  Meridianbet Leads the B2C Division of Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:MRDN)  BELGRADE, Serbia, July  17, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE)</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-paragraph">
    <h3>AI Summary</h3>
    <p>Meridian Holdings announced Meridianbet&#039;s Official Partner status for UFC Fight Night Serbia, the first UFC event in Serbia, on August 1, 2026 at Belgrade Arena. As exclusive sports-betting sponsor, Meridianbet will receive Octagon branding, event marketing, in-venue and digital campaigns, with US broadcast on Paramount+ and international distribution through UFC partners, boosting regional visibility and potential customer acquisition over time.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="ai-summary-bullets">
    <h3>Key Points</h3>
    <ul><li>Meridianbet named Official Partner of UFC Fight Night Serbia.</li><li>Exclusive sponsor in sports-betting category for the event.</li><li>Branding includes Octagon placement, event marketing, in-venue, and digital campaigns.</li><li>US broadcast on Paramount+; international distribution via UFC partners.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="companies-mentioned">
    <h3>Companies Mentioned</h3>
    <ul><li><strong>Meridian Holdings Inc. (MRDN)</strong>: Parent company; sponsorship aligns with growth strategy.</li><li><strong>Meridianbet (N/A)</strong>: B2C division; exclusive event sponsor; potential user growth.</li><li><strong>Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) (N/A)</strong>: Event organizer; global reach amplifies Meridianbet exposure.</li><li><strong>TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (TKO)</strong>: UFC parent; rights and distribution ecosystem could affect exposure.</li><li><strong>Paramount Global (PARA)</strong>: Broadcast partner via Paramount+; expands potential audience.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="category">
    <h3>Industry News</h3>
    <p>Industry News; sponsorship signals brand expansion in gaming and sports entertainment; potential lift to Meridianbet&#039;s regional penetration and cross-market visibility.</p>
  </section>

  <section data-block="market-moving">
    <h3>Market-Moving</h3>
    <ul><li>Deal signals stronger exposure for Meridianbet in Europe and Serbia.</li><li>Exclusivity in Serbian sports-betting could constrain competitors.</li><li>Long lead time to event may limit near-term price impact.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="key-facts">
    <h3>Key Facts</h3>
    <ul><li>Event date: August 1, 2026.</li><li>Location: Belgrade Arena, Belgrade, Serbia.</li><li>Meridianbet is exclusive sponsor in sports-betting category for the event.</li><li>US broadcast: Paramount+; international distribution via UFC partners.</li><li>Meridian Holdings Inc. is NASDAQ: MRDN.</li></ul>
  </section>

  <section data-block="trading-thesis">
    <h3>Trading Thesis</h3>
    <p>Bullish: branding catalyst could lift user growth and betting volumes into 2026-2027, with modest near-term upside.</p>
  </section>
</section>


<link type="text/css" rel="stylesheet" href="https://www.globenewswire.com/styles/gnw_nitf.css"></link><p align="center"><em>First UFC Event Ever to Be Held in Serbia, Scheduled for August 1, 2026 at Belgrade Arena</em></p>  <p align="center"><em>Meridianbet Leads the B2C Division of Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MRDN">MRDN</a>)</em></p>  <p align="justify">BELGRADE, Serbia, July  17, 2026  (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MRDN">MRDN</a>) (the "Company") today announced that the Company’s subsidiary Meridianbet has been named Official Partner of UFC Fight Night Serbia, a mixed-martial-arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), scheduled for August 1, 2026 at Belgrade Arena in Belgrade, Serbia.</p>  <p align="justify">The event will be the first UFC has ever held in Serbia, where Meridianbet will be its exclusive sponsor in the sports-betting category. The partnership will include branding inside the Octagon during the event, logo placement across official event marketing (including the fight poster and round cards), an in-venue commercial at Belgrade Arena and a digital and social media campaign across UFC’s web, video and social channels.</p>  <p align="justify">The event will air live in the United States on Paramount+ and will be distributed internationally through UFC’s broadcast partners, reaching a global audience.</p>  <p align="justify">"Serbia is where Meridianbet’s story began 25 years ago, and there is no bigger stage to mark that anniversary than UFC’s first-ever event in the country," said William Scott, Chief Executive Officer of Meridian Holdings. "Combat sports sponsorship has long been part of our brand strategy, and partnering with one of the most-watched properties in global sports is a natural next step as we continue to build visibility for our firm across the region and the world."</p>  <p align="justify">Meridianbet was founded in Serbia in 2001 and has since operated in the market continuously. The partnership with UFC marks the brand’s most visible association with a global sports property to date.</p>  <p align="justify">Meridianbet has sponsored combat sports for years, from elite professional cards to grassroots martial arts events, and the category remains one of the brand’s most visible. The partnership also reflects a long-running commitment to sport in the communities where the brand operates: across its markets, Meridianbet supports clubs, youth academies and local sports programs, from grassroots level to elite competition, alongside community initiatives in health and education.</p>  <p align="justify"><strong>About Meridian Holdings Inc.</strong></p>  <p align="justify">Meridian Holdings Inc. (NASDAQ:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/MRDN">MRDN</a>), headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada, is an established B2B and B2C gaming technology group operating across over 25 international regulated markets. The Company’s B2C division is led by Meridianbet Group, a leading online sports betting and gaming operator founded in 2001 and licensed across Europe, Africa, and South America. Meridian’s B2B division, comprising game developer Expanse Studios and iGaming platform GMAG, develops, licenses, and distributes proprietary gaming technology to a global client base. Additional subsidiaries include RKings Competitions (pay-to-enter prize competitions in the UK), MexPlay (regulated online casino in Mexico), and Classics for a Cause (Australia’s leading subscription-based digital memberships and trade-promotion lottery). The Company’s software automatically declines gaming or redemption requests originating in the United States, in strict compliance with U.S. law. For more information, visit <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=lYEfjyrETQDWuIBpRxqGP65d2ktOzWv2A4r9FKPpKvI2iAPOaN8j5mPA6w-zQgRjT8KMMc1jWyz83j5MzkxOG_EaBK9BQvqLHmjT3pbYoKwYTDV4CoaYbqj6GfUw8rww" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.meridian-holdings.com</a></p>  <p align="justify"><strong>About UFC</strong></p>  <p align="justify">UFC is the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, producing more than 40 live events annually and distributing its programming to an estimated one billion broadcast and digital households across 210 countries and territories, with an athlete roster representing more than 75 countries. UFC is part of TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE:<a class="ticker" href="https://www.benzinga.com/quote/TKO">TKO</a>) and is headquartered in Las Vegas, Nevada. For more information, visit UFC.com.</p>  <p><strong>Forward-Looking Statements</strong></p>  <p align="justify">This press release contains &#34;forward-looking statements&#34; within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, that are subject to the safe harbor created by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to, statements regarding the anticipated staging of the UFC event in Belgrade, Serbia on August 1, 2026; the expected scope, benefits and duration of the sponsorship, including anticipated branding, marketing, advertising, digital and social media elements and the expected exclusivity in the sports-betting category in the Serbian market; the anticipated broadcast and distribution of the event in the United States and internationally; the anticipated visibility, brand, marketing or commercial benefits of the partnership to the Company; and statements regarding the Company&#39;s strategy, growth plans and market position. Words such as &#34;anticipate,&#34; &#34;believe,&#34; &#34;estimate,&#34; &#34;expect,&#34; &#34;intend,&#34; &#34;may,&#34; &#34;plan,&#34; &#34;project,&#34; &#34;will,&#34; &#34;would,&#34; and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not all forward-looking statements contain these identifying words.</p>  <p align="justify">Forward-looking statements are based on the Company&#39;s current expectations and assumptions and involve known and unknown risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company&#39;s control, that could cause actual results, events or outcomes to differ materially from those expressed or implied in such statements. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include, without limitation: (a) the risk that the event is postponed, canceled, relocated, rescheduled or otherwise modified, including as a result of circumstances outside the control of the Company or the event organizer; (b) the right of either party to terminate or modify the sponsorship agreement in accordance with its terms, including in response to regulatory developments; (c) the risk that certain sponsorship benefits become unavailable and are substituted or otherwise modified; (d) the Company&#39;s dependence on third parties, including the event organizer, the venue, broadcasters, distribution partners and other rights holders, whose decisions and performance are outside the Company&#39;s control; (e) the need to obtain approvals for marketing and promotional materials and the risk that such approvals are delayed, conditioned or withheld; (f) the scope of, and contractual limitations on, the Company&#39;s sponsorship and category exclusivity rights; (g) changes in laws, regulations or regulatory guidance applicable to gaming, sports wagering, advertising or sponsorship in Serbia or in other jurisdictions in which the Company operates, and the Company&#39;s ability to obtain and maintain required licenses, permits and approvals; (h) the risk that the anticipated marketing, brand or commercial benefits of the sponsorship are not realized in whole or in part; and (i) the other risks and uncertainties described in the Company&#39;s filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, including its most recent Annual Report on Form 10-K and subsequent Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q and Current Reports on Form 8-K, available at <a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=lYEfjyrETQDWuIBpRxqGP_f1tlk2FJCinMXLPImr3jLjMpr6xiWkAMtO56Wj0DbJ5ra2-kdFT4d6lumCnmR47Q==" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">www.sec.gov</a>.</p>  <p align="justify">The forward-looking statements included in this press release speak only as of the date hereof. The Company cannot guarantee future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements, and readers should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Except as required by law, the Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise, and no inference should be drawn that the Company will make additional updates with respect to those or other forward-looking statements. The Company assumes no obligation to update or correct information prepared by third parties that is not paid for by the Company.</p>  <p><strong>Investors &amp; Press:</strong><br></br><strong>ICR</strong><br></br><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=9rUutJGks_aOgg1mobwtYcduw4QOyWUgYBnxmkOhurJ9PPhwMoANcr0wPiMq5H7DlR3tHEdCFc4QlJjf3yhHf-EiV7ZJi8hCGnVIEDFtELQ=" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">meridian@icrinc.com</a></p>  <p><strong>Meridian Holdings Inc.</strong><br></br><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/Tracker?data=8qsKQQWBhsnt_CKuniVqHmNOepscmsAQ5-Jr-G0P1ocJT3PFRW1sgtG1DSVTr8vRFfNFoUcTcqGnsQ0gP8me23BmIfif5nCdS_AwPQ02lBnFeHix_aCASJnf26Ume8Pv" rel="nofollow" target="_blank">ir@meridian-holdings.com</a></p> <img alt="" class="__GNW8366DE3E__IMG" src="https://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/ti?nf=MTAwMTIxMzI5OCM0MDI0NDUwODAjMjI0NDI3OA=="></img> <br></br><img alt="" src="https://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/media/ZTJjMmQ0NzctOTNjZS00NjZkLWI0MDYtZTYyOGE4NTc2OThmLTEyNTU4MzEtMjAyNi0wNy0xNy1lbg==/tiny/Meridian-Holdings-Inc-.png" referrerpolicy="no-referrer-when-downgrade"></img><p><a href="https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/c5b37c2c-b010-491a-98b5-fb741a519664"><img src="https://ml-eu.globenewswire.com/media/c5b37c2c-b010-491a-98b5-fb741a519664/small/640x419-black-3-jpg.jpg" border="0" width="150" height="98" alt="Primary Logo"></img></a></p>

Meridian Holdings announced Meridianbet's Official Partner status for UFC Fight Night Serbia, the first UFC event in Serbia, on August 1, 2026 at Belgrade Arena. As exclusive sports-betting sponsor, Meridianbet will receive Octagon branding, event marketing, in-venue and digital campaigns, with US broadcast on Paramount+ and international distribution through UFC partners, boosting regional visibility and potential customer acquisition over time.

UFC Names Meridianbet Official Partner of Fight Night Belgrade

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