Khabib NFT Sale

How we became one of the first to launch a successful NFT sale for a UFC star.
In March 2021, I was approached by the official representative of Khabib Nurmagomedov with a proposal to organize an NFT sale. The topic was rapidly gaining traction, and since I already had experience launching crypto projects, I agreed to take on the challenge.
Created and executed the concept of the NFT
Organized a promo video shoot in Las Vegas.
Description
  • At the start, the NFT market was still in its infancy, and there was little understanding of its rules. We conducted research into early cases (Logan Paul, Rob Gronkowski, Tim Brown) and realized that there was no real pricing logic.

  • We decided to issue 290 gold NFT cards, 29 platinum, and 1 diamond, symbolizing Khabib’s undefeated record of 29 wins and 0 losses (29:0).

  • Since Khabib is an international athlete, it was critical to carefully work through the legal framework. We partnered with Aleinikov & Partners, a law firm that had previously contributed to drafting the Decree on the Development of the Digital Economy in Belarus.

  • To comply with regulations, we introduced KYC/AML procedures: NFTs could only be purchased after a full identity check and by pre-submitting the ETH address that would be used for the purchase.
Result
  • The NFT sale was covered by major international media, generating massive PR that boosted sales.

  • A total of $1,160,000 (USDC) was raised.