UFC Event Formats

The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the world’s biggest MMA promotion, with no close competitors, at least in terms of revenue. Many top-ranked fighters have signed contracts with the UFC, striving to remain in the spotlight and earn substantial compensation. A notable example is Conor McGregor, who topped the 2021 Highest-Paid Athletes ranking ahead of stars such as Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, and LeBron James.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship is based in the US and follows the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. The promotion organizes events worldwide that attract millions of viewers and a growing number of online bettors. Its rules and event formats have evolved over the years, and the UFC now conducts two types of fighting shows: numbered UFC events and UFC Fight Nights. The former features high-profile bouts, including championship fights broadcast on a pay-per-view basis. UFC Fight Nights, on the other hand, can be watched through the ESPN+ network with a monthly subscription and generally feature lower-ranked fighters.

Now, let’s take a closer look at the two UFC event formats, including their main features and key differences.

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Numbered UFC Events (PPV)

To watch numbered UFC events, you must pay a one-time fee in addition to the cost of your usual subscription service, digital cable package, or other platform. The PPV service is used to broadcast events that generate significant viewer interest, such as professional boxing matches, UFC fights, professional wrestling events, concerts, and more. Most UFC PPV events take place in the United States, with some exceptions, usually in the home country of the champion or challenger.

Traditionally, numbered UFC events are headlined by a championship fight, and some cards include two title fights. The following five UFC PPV events included three championship bouts:

The highest-grossing MMA event of all time is UFC 229, with total revenue exceeding $120 million. Anyone with even minimal knowledge of mixed martial arts will not be surprised to learn that Conor McGregor participated in the main event. McGregor has demonstrated how profitable MMA can be. His opponent in 2018 was Khabib Nurmagomedov, the longest-reigning UFC Lightweight Champion. Khabib won the highly anticipated fight by submission with a neck crank.

Over the years, UFC events have been broadcast by several networks, including ABC, Fox, Fuel TV, Spike, Versus, and others. However, in 2019, the Ultimate Fighting Championship announced that, as part of its major contract with ESPN, all subsequent PPV events would be available for purchase only to registered users of the network’s streaming service, ESPN+. The deal covers the US media market.

UFC Fight Pass

The UFC also operates its own subscription-based video streaming service, called UFC Fight Pass. At the time of writing, subscription fees are $9.99 for a monthly pass and $95.99 for an annual pass. Subscribers receive access to multiple UFC events, the UFC Fight Library, live martial arts events, and exclusive fighting series and shows. It is important to note that PPV events become available on the service at least one month after their original live broadcast.

UFC Fight Pass is a good option for dedicated MMA enthusiasts, as it offers extensive historical content for a reasonable price. The library contains thousands of past events from the UFC, PRIDE FC, WEC, Strikeforce, Affliction, Invicta FC, King of the Cage, and other promotions. Users can also watch behind-the-scenes shows, documentaries, and other original programming. For UFC PPV events, only the Early Prelims are available for live streaming.

UFC Fight Nights

Despite the appeal of numbered UFC events, it eventually became clear that they were not enough to satisfy the continuing interest of MMA fans and sports bettors. Beyond the top-ranked stars, many other fighters were looking for an opportunity to perform, gain recognition, and earn a place in the spotlight. In response to this demand, the Ultimate Fighting Championship began holding UFC Fight Nights in 2005. These were the first UFC events that did not use the PPV format.

Although UFC Fight Nights are considered a lower-profile part of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, they should not be overlooked because they often feature exciting bouts between talented fighters who are not yet widely known. Fight Nights have become an important platform for fighters to build their reputations among fans and within the promotion. Participating in Fight Nights also gives inexperienced fighters time to develop their confidence. The UFC marketing team monitors how each fighter’s personality is received by the audience and may eventually promote suitable fighters to PPV events.

Initially, UFC Fight Nights were broadcast on Spike, then moved to FX and Fox Sports before arriving on ESPN as part of the previously mentioned major deal. In the eyes of many MMA fans, Fight Nights resemble a reality show that launches the careers of future UFC superstars. Reality shows attract considerable interest worldwide, and UFC Fight Nights have a similar appeal.

How UFC Fighters Get Paid

The UFC’s top fighters maintain a high standard of living, which naturally arouses their fans’ curiosity. Many fans assume that fighters earn thousands of dollars for every bout in the Ultimate Fighting Championship. However, top athletes rarely earn a living solely from official compensation for sporting events. UFC fighters are also reluctant to share information about their contracts and exact payment terms.

A fighter’s contract is the starting point. It sets a fixed amount per bout for a certain number of matches over a specific period. In the past, this was their primary source of income, but things have changed significantly over the last decade.

In modern UFC events, fighters can benefit from several lucrative bonuses called UFC Bonus Awards. The Fight of the Night bonus is awarded to the two fighters who participated in the most entertaining bout on the card. There are no fixed criteria, and the bonus winners are announced during the post-event press conference. On March 26, 2022, the UFC held its first full-capacity post-pandemic event, where Matt Brown and Bryan Barberena each earned a $50,000 bonus for their entertaining bout. The Performance of the Night bonus was introduced in 2014 to replace the former Knockout of the Night and Submission of the Night awards. This bonus is also worth $50,000.

Top-tier fighters have large followings on social media, making them particularly attractive to brands offering lucrative advertising deals. Some fighters are so successful in this area that their income outside the Octagon far surpasses their regular fight earnings. The more popular a fighter becomes, the larger these sums can be, and recent title results are not the only factor. McGregor is a clear example. His business acumen put him at the top of the earnings list in 2021, even though he lost to Dustin Poirier twice, first on January 24 at UFC 257 and again on July 11 at UFC 264.

Final Words

Both numbered UFC events and UFC Fight Nights provide online bettors with a variety of betting markets. Bets are placed more frequently on the lower-profile Fight Nights because these events occur more often, usually about once a week. Championship fights, on the other hand, are generally held at least once per month. Follow the MMA calendar to keep track of upcoming events from the Ultimate Fighting Championship and other promotions. If you want to learn about all types of MMA bets, continue to the next article in our guide.