EA grabs UFC rights off THQ

Electronic Arts announced a multi-year deal to make official Ultimate Fighting Championship games during E3 today, wrestling the rights away from previous holder THQ and its UFC Undisputed series. No specific game has been announced, but EA already had a stab at mixed martial arts in 2010 with EA Sports MMA.

"We'd like to thank THQ for creating some of the most critically-acclaimed sports videogames of this console generation, and we're excited to enter a new relationship with EA that will help us deepen our connection with fighting fans around the world," UFC president Dana White said.

THQ CEO Brian Farrell added, "We've relished our relationship with UFC over the last several years and believe that the UFC gaming brand is in great shape. THQ's more focused strategy moving forward meant that transferring the license to EA made sense to all parties."