Shares of Aurora Cannabis Inc. rallied 1.5% in premarket trade Tuesday, after the Canada-based cannabis company announced a "multi-year, multi-million dollar" exclusive partnership with UFC to advance research on the relationship between of hemp-derived cannabidiol (CBD) products and athlete wellness and recovery. The research will be conducted at the mixed martial arts organization's performance institute in Las Vegas, with clinical studies to focus on pain management, inflammation, injury/exercise recovery and mental well being. "This global partnership places focus squarely on the health and well-being of UFC's talented and highly trained athletes," said Aurora Chief Executive Terry Booth. "The Aurora-UFC research partnership creates a global platform to launch targeted educational and awareness campaigns, while creating numerous opportunities to accelerate our global CBD business." Aurora's stock has soared 71.2% year to date through Monday, while the ETFMG Alternative Harvest ETF has climbed 33.3% and the S&P 500 has gained 13.3%.