Since 2005, we've been building Northern Europe's leading sports group. From a Stockholm apartment to a global player with eight brands and over 10 million viewers worldwide.
Superior Group was founded by Babak Ashti with a dream of legitimizing and developing MMA in the Nordic region. At a time when the sport was still controversial and legally banned in Sweden, he dared to believe in its potential as a mainstream sport.
What started as Superior Wear — Europe's first MMA clothing brand — quickly grew into Superior Challenge, which today stands as Northern Europe's largest and one of Europe's oldest MMA organizations. The promotion has been the single largest contributor to the growth of MMA in the Nordic countries.
Today, Superior Group International is a full-scale holding company with eight distinct brands covering the entire sports ecosystem: events, media, training, equipment, apparel, and talent management. The group has produced over 90% of all Swedish fighters who have reached the UFC, Bellator, and PFL — the world's largest MMA organizations.
Superior Challenge events are broadcast live on Viaplay across the Nordics, Baltics, Poland, and the Netherlands, with worldwide reach through FITE TV. The promotion holds the Nordic record for MMA attendance with over 7,000 spectators at Malmö Arena and has generated approximately €170,000 in PR value per event.
Babak Ashti launches Europe's first MMA clothing brand from Stockholm. A bold move in a time when MMA was still banned in Sweden and widely misunderstood. Superior Wear combined streetwear aesthetics with combat sports culture, pioneering a new category in European fashion.
What begins as a marketing event for Superior Wear quickly evolves into Northern Europe's largest MMA promotion. The debut event draws massive attention, proving there's a hungry audience for professional MMA in the Nordic region.
Fighter management and talent development becomes a natural extension of the group. Superior Management begins nurturing Nordic fighters toward the international stage, creating a pipeline that would eventually produce 90% of all Swedish UFC fighters.
Professional MMA equipment developed in close collaboration with active professional fighters. Approved by the Swedish MMA Federation (SMMAF), Superior Gear sets new standards for quality and safety in combat sports equipment across the Nordics.
Superior Challenge signs landmark broadcast deals with Viaplay and TV10, reaching a Nordic record of 400,000 TV viewers for a single event. The promotion establishes itself as a premium sports property across the Nordic, Baltic, Polish, and Dutch markets.
Superior Academy brings elite MMA training and athlete development under one roof. Drawing on nearly two decades of experience in combat sports, the academy offers world-class coaching for everyone from beginners to professional fighters.
Frontkick Online, Maximum Sport, and Käftsmällspodden join the portfolio — completing Superior Group's transformation into a full-spectrum sports holding company spanning events, media, training, apparel, equipment, and talent management.
To build the world's most innovative sports group with a focus on MMA and combat sports. We see opportunities where others see limits.
We challenge conventions and create new standards in sports entertainment. From pioneering MMA apparel to revolutionizing Nordic combat sports.
Everything we do is driven by the pursuit of the highest quality — in our events, our brands, and the athletes we develop.
From Stockholm to the world. Our events reach 10M+ viewers globally, and our fighters compete on the biggest stages.
We helped legalize and professionalize MMA in Sweden. We lead with transparency, sportsmanship, and respect for athletes.
Combat sports are about people. We build communities — from grassroots gyms to sold-out arenas and thriving digital platforms.
Babak Ashti is the founder and CEO of Superior Group International. As one of the true pioneers of Nordic MMA, he has shaped the sport's development in the region for nearly two decades.
In 2005, Babak founded Superior Wear — Europe's first MMA clothing brand — at a time when mixed martial arts was still banned and misunderstood in Sweden. His vision extended far beyond fashion: he saw an entire ecosystem waiting to be built around the sport he loved.
By 2008, he had launched Superior Challenge, which rapidly became Northern Europe's premier MMA promotion. Under his leadership, the organization has produced 90% of all Swedish fighters to compete in the UFC, Bellator, and PFL, while reaching over 10 million viewers worldwide.
Beyond Superior Group, Babak serves as Chairman of the Swedish MMA Federation (SMMAF), where he has played a pivotal role in legalizing and professionalizing MMA as a recognized sport in Sweden. His advocacy and leadership have been instrumental in transforming the perception of combat sports across Scandinavia.
Today, Babak continues to drive the group's expansion across events, media, training, apparel, equipment, and talent management — building one of Europe's most comprehensive sports holding companies from his base in Stockholm.
Discover how our brands are shaping the future of sports entertainment.