Monster Energy riders perform at the Miramar Air Show at Miramar Air Base, San Diego, in 2024. (Monster Energy)
Up to 3,000 troops are expected to join Monster Energy and its crew for the energy drink brand’s largest UFC watch party for UFC 317 at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego.
Exclusive to service members stationed at the base, the event will be held at 3 p.m., at Hangar 0 on Saturday.
The event will feature military and Monster vehicle displays, giveaways, a BMX stunt show, live music by DJ Stakz and free drinks provided by the energy drink brand. ESPN will also do a live cut-in during the Ilia Topuria vs. Charles Oliveira fight in Las Vegas giving service members a chance to say hello to UFC fans watching around the world.
The first 500 service members to show up will receive a special gift, according to Chuck Lane, vice president of the global military channel at Monster Energy.
“We wanted to do something cool for our military family, to support them in the little way we can, and to show gratitude for all they do,” Lane told Stars and Stripes in an email. “We know UFC resonates strongly with the members of our armed forces, so it was a natural pairing.”
Lane said the watch party at the Marine Corps installation will be the “biggest in our company’s history,” and it is coincidentally taking place during the Corps’ 250th anniversary this year.
“We are delighted to be doing the smallest part to help celebrate this incredible milestone,” Lane said. “You [Marines] may be a quarter of a millennium old, but you are still the strongest, fastest and freshest-looking out there.”
Monster Energy will provide two giant screens, 30 feet by 40 feet, showing the entire UFC 317 fight card, including early prelims, prelims and Main Card.
According to Lane, Monster Energy sends around 1 million cans per year to individual units across all military branches and “almost half” of all energy drink purchases in the military are Monster branded products. With the military’s devotion to Monster products, Lane said the brand wanted to reciprocate and “show appreciation for these individuals who defend our way of life.”
“This drives me and the team to ensure Monster products — be it OG, White, the newest flavor or whatever their preference is — are always available to the soldier [service member] no matter where they are in the world,” said Lane.
Monster Energy participates in the Miramar Air Show every year, and has hosted many local events and activations at various military bases across the country and abroad. They have partnerships with military scholarship programs, charities that support wounded veterans and military organizations such as the USO, Invictus Games, Vets on Track and many more.
