Roberto Gallo on Centurion FC - MMA, Real Impact, and Why Brands Should Pay Attention
During BiS Sigma South America in São Paulo, host Surya Palli spoke with Roberto Gallo, Founder and CEO of Centurion FC. The conversation covered how the promotion grew from a small Malta event into one of Brazil’s top MMA organisations, the social work behind the fights, and why gaming brands still undervalue the sport. Here are the biggest takeaways.
From Small Malta Events to a Top Brazilian Promotion
This conversation with Roberto Gallo at BiS Sigma South America covered a lot of fascinating aspects and our host Surya Palli was curious about the start of the company.
So we got to know that Centurion started about six years ago as a modest event in Malta. COVID forced a hard reset. Gallo rebuilt it as a proper company and shifted focus to Latin America, with Brazil at the centre. Despite competing against organisations with 50 years of history, Centurion is now among the top two promotions in the country.
Social Work is Part of the Model
Every Centurion fight uses the same rule- one kilo of food instead of a ticket. The organisation also runs free classes in English, marketing, finance and combat sports in a São Paulo community, plus food distribution and women’s self-defence programmes.
Gallo is clear about the challenge:
“Everybody claps their hands at what you do, but nobody puts the money to help you.”
A recent partnership with Big Game is helping expand the work. The next phase is already being planned.
MMA Grows Because it is Real
Gallo’s view is straightforward. People are drawn to real fights. MMA is fast, direct and merit-based. If you can fight, you move forward.
“It’s not like WWE. Here it’s real. You can feel that.”
Several fighters who came through Centurion have reached the UFC and changed their lives. Gallo invests when he sees talent and respects the full commitment the sport demands.
Brands Still Underprice MMA
MMA reaches a core 18-55 demographic and has hundreds of millions of followers worldwide. Sponsorship costs remain far lower than football while delivering loyal audiences. Early movers such as Aviator and Stake saw the potential and are now among the leaders in the category.
Gallo’s point is simple: the reach is there, the loyalty is high, and the cost is still attractive.
Banning Sponsorships Would Hurt Sport
On talk of restricting brand sponsorships in Brazil, Gallo does not soften his view:
“If you want to kill any sport in this country, you ban the sponsorship of sport.”
Most sports today depend heavily on gaming support. Removing it would not stop betting, it would push it underground and remove both tax revenue and player protections.
What Stood Out
- Centurion’s growth is as much about structure and purpose as fight cards.
- Social work is built into the operating model.
- MMA still offers strong reach at a lower cost than football.
- Early brand investment has already paid off for a few operators.
- Open collaboration between promotions, foundations and brands can deliver both commercial and community results.
The iGaming Real News desk: company announcements and wire copy, verified and clearly labelled.
