How To Bet On Mma Online

The growth of fight sports in recent years has been astronomical. While boxing used to take center stage, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and the UFC stormed onto the scene over the last decade and has grabbed the spotlight with both hands.

It’s great for those who love a good brawl, as now there’s one on the menu virtually every weekend. And it’s great for those who want to get into UFC betting.

The UFC is the cream of the crop among MMA brands as they attract the biggest and best in the sport. They have more (and better) fighters on their cards and they span the globe, holding events – and massive betting slates – almost every week of the year.

Some of the biggest UFC pay-per-views – like the Khabib Nurmagomedov-Conor McGregor bout at UFC 229 in 2018, or the Conor McGregor-Cowboy Cerrone tilt in 2020 – now rival boxing’s all-time mega events.

Betting MMA online is a much more convenient and much more profitable way of going about your wagering. #1 – Create Your Account The first step in the process is creating an account with the MMA betting site that you choose. The most popular way to bet on the UFC, or any other mixed martial arts event for that matter, is to bet on the moneyline. Betting on the moneyline simply means betting on one individual fighter to win a particular fight. Moneyline payouts fluctuate depending on each individual bet. Yes, you can absolutely bet on UFC fights online. Mixed martial arts (MMA) just so happens to be one of the more popular sports to wager on. And with the Ultimate Fighting Championship helping MMA gain prominence in the mainstream, UFC bettors can enjoy a wide range of UFC betting options online.

The UFC sold for over $4 billion in 2016 and its value has only increased since then. The UFC betting market has grown similarly. If you’ve been a long-time fan of MMA but now want to get into betting on it, here’s a quick guide to everything you need to know.

Sportsbook offers, odds boosts for UFC 259

Sportsbooks are rolling out tremendous offers for UFC 259. Here are some of the best:

• DraftKings Sportsbook: Bet $1, win $100. For new users only. To sign up for DK Sportsbook and take advantage of this offer, go here.

Best UFC betting sites

There are a number of excellent legal sportsbooks out there for those looking to get in on UFC betting. We’ve done a comprehensive review of all of them and here are the books we give the highest grades to:

Best UFC betting apps

In states where online sports betting is legal, you’ll find sportsbook apps that give you all the current UFC odds on every upcoming fight. You can then bet on the UFC right from the palm of your hand.

Betting via app also means you can place your UFC bets from anywhere as long as you’re within state lines. You don’t need to be physically inside the sportsbook or stand in line at the window.

The best apps are fantastic as you can see all of the lines for upcoming UFC cards, place bets either ahead of time or as the fights are happening (live betting) and withdraw your winnings right away. It’s fast, secure and quite convenient.

Top UFC betting apps we can recommend:

• DraftKings Sportsbook ($25 Free) — Available in NJ, PA, MI IN, NH, TN, VA and WV
• FanDuel Sportsbook ($500 Risk-Free Bet) — Available in NJ, PA, MI, IN, TN, VA and WV
• BetMGM ($500 Risk-Free Bet) — Available in NJ, MI, TN, WV

Why bet on UFC online

Bet On Mma Fights

There are a number of options for UFC betting and your method will likely depend on where you are in the country. Some states will have online betting available to you, some will offer retail (land-based casinos) and some will offer both.

The benefit of betting online is the convenience. From the comfort of your own home or wherever you are in state, you can place your bets very quickly and easily.

There can be a great atmosphere for watching UFC pay-per-views at the sportsbook itself but it can be a couple of hours drive to the nearest casino. If you prefer to watch the event closer to home, either at a bar or your own living room, mobile betting makes it easy.

You can also make live bets in seconds as opposed to having to wait in line at the betting window at the sportsbook.

UFC live betting

One of the best ways to bet on the UFC is through live betting. It can be hard to handicap the fight beforehand and figure out how it’ll go, but live betting gives you the chance to bet on the fight as it’s happening and hedge any bets made before..

Oddsmakers will keep a running line on the fight as it progresses. Depending on how each fighter looks and how the rounds have gone, the odds will change accordingly.

You’re free to jump in and place a bet at any point when the odds look appealing.

This is a useful tool in two ways. For one, you can see how the fight is playing out before putting your money down. Or if you’ve already placed your bet and you don’t like how the fight is playing out, you can use live betting to hedge your bets and limit your losses.

Always bet UFC on legal betting sites

Sports betting is completely legal in many states now and there are plenty of great online sportsbooks. They often have more UFC betting lines than the “offshore” sportsbooks, better customer service and the option to manage your betting account entirely from your home.

It’s also important to remember that legal, regulated sportsbooks are all affiliated with a real, licensed casino in your home state and not operating from an offshore server somewhere. That means they must adhere to strict state regulations at all times and you have well established processes and procedures for any type of dispute.

You also have any number of standard deposit and cash out methods at your disposal, including major credit cards, pre-paid cards and cash at the cage.

How do UFC odds work

The simplest UFC bet you can make is picking the fighter you think will win.

When you visit the MMA odds or UFC odds tab in your sportsbook, you’ll see two fighters matched up against each other for each bout.

Click on the fighter you think will win the fight and you’ll see it pop up in your betting slip to the right of the screen. You can enter the amount of money you want to bet on him/her and see exactly how much your bet will pay out.

If your fighter goes on to win the fight, you cash in your bet.

There’s more to it in terms of understanding the odds (we’ll cover that below), but that’s the simplest UFC betting gets.

You can also bet on different aspects of the fight (if it will end via a knockout, submission or decision, etc) but for the most part, the most popular form of betting on UFC is just picking one or the other fighter to win.

How to read UFC odds

When you look at the UFC odds in your sportsbook, you’ll see a couple of different numbers. We’ll break them down for you:

UFC fight odds

When you pull up the odds for a UFC fight, they will look something like this:

• Khabib Nurmagomedov -155
• Conor McGregor +135

The first thing you want to notice here is the symbol in front of the number. In Nurmagomedov’s case, it’s a “-” sign. That means the fighter is the “favorite.”

As for your bet, that means to win $100 you have to bet the amount listed. If you bet $155 on Nurmagomedov and he wins, you’d collect $100 plus have your $155 returned to you.

If there’s a ‘+’ sign, as there is here with McGregor, that means the fighter is the underdog. The actual figure represents the amount of money you’d win if you bet $100. So if you bet $100 on McGregor and he wins, you win $135 plus your original $100 bet back.

Of course, you can bet whatever amount you want (less than or greater than $100) but this shows you what the payout would be if you bet each fighter.

UFC over/unders

Another way to bet on UFC fights is to bet the over-under. In this case, you’re betting on how long the fight will last. You might see a betting line that looks like this:

Nurmagomedov-McGregor total:

• Over 3.5
• Under 3.5

What this means is you have to decide whether this fight will go over – or last longer – than 3.5 rounds. If you think it will be a quick knockout, you’d bet the under. If you’re envisioning that the fight will go the distance, then you’d bet the over.

The 3.5 refers to the rounds, so in this case, the over-under is set at the 2:30 mark of the fourth round since it’s three full rounds and another half.

Bet on UFC props

Another way to bet on UFC fights is through propositional bets, which are known as props for short. This gives you the opportunity to bet on the fight in other ways than simply picking the winner or the loser.

An example of a prop bet could be:

How will the fight end?

• Knockout -110
• Submission +150
• Decision +400

With this prop, if you bet on ‘knockout’, you’d win your bet if either fighter won via knockout. You can also bet a specific fighter to win via a specific method, you can bet on which round the fight will end and you can wager on or if the fight will end in a draw.

UFC betting strategy

If you’re new to handicapping UFC fights, these are a few simple UFC betting tips to help set you off on the right track:

UFC betting trends

You’ll want to take note of the fighter’s momentum going into the bout as that can give you an indication of where they are in their career.

Has the fighter won 10 straight? Has the fighter lost three of their last four?

Drilling down further, you want to see how the fights are ending. If a fighter has won four straight fights, ending their opponent in the first round, that’s a pretty obvious sign of dominance. If a fighter has won four in a row but has won three of the bouts by split decision from the judges, that shows they may not be as strong as their record indicates..

Who did they fight?

Another key factor to examine when you’re looking at the fighter’s history is who they’ve fought. Are they battling the elite guys in the weight class or have they merely beaten a string of cupcakes?

Some fighters can build up a winning streak in smaller MMA outlets but that probably doesn’t mean they’re as dominant had that same winning streak happened in the UFC. The UFC is viewed as the elite MMA organization.

Take note of who the fighters have gone up against and how they’ve fared. That will give you a real indication of their quality.

What is their fighting style?

As the name suggests, it’s mixed martial arts, so there are many different fight styles. You’ll want to study the fighters a little bit to grasp what their strengths and weaknesses are.

For example, a fighter might be great at knockouts but terrible with grappling and wrestling. If he’s fighting someone who is capable of taking them down, their knockout power might not be effective. At the same time, some fighters have excellent takedown defense, which means they can keep the fights standing.

Also take note of the fighter’s history to see how his wins and losses have happened. Are they prone to knockouts or submissions? Do they end a lot of fights early or do all of their bouts go the distance?

Who has the physical advantage?

One of the keys to understanding how the fight will play out is knowing the fighter’s physical traits. For example, you’ll often see the stat Reach displayed on broadcasts because that’s quite important. A fighter with a good reach can keep the other one at bay with their long arms and punches.

Other physical traits to keep an eye on is weight as heavier fighters can have more power but less speed, although that’s not a hard-and-fast rule. Also, take note of the age of the fighters as some might be in the twilight of their career in their late 30’s or early 40’s, while the opponent could be a young fighter in their early 20’s.

Bet On Fights

Biggest payouts in UFC history

In the UFC, it takes as little as one punch to land an upset. That opens the door for a lot of juicy opportunities for underdogs. Let’s take a closer look at five of the biggest underdogs to ever cash:

1. Matt Serra vs Georges St. Pierre

Pre-Fight odds: Serra +850

GSP was defending his welterweight title at UFC 69 when Matt Serra shocked the world with his win. GSP would get revenge in 2008, though, when he knocked out Serra at UFC 83.

2. Holly Holm vs Ronda Rousey

Pre-Fight odds: Holm +830

Rousey, the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion, hardly ever broke a sweat in her UFC fights before Holm stunned her at UFC 193. Only one of her 12 prior UFC fights had even lasted beyond the first round. In a stunning fall from grace, the undefeated champ lost to Holm, then lost to Amanda Nunes, and never returned to the UFC.

3. Iuri Alcantara vs Frankie Saenz

Pre-Fight odds: Saenz +700

Frankie Saenz hasn’t had much success in the UFC as he’s just 5-4 with the organization. However, he had one shining moment at UFC Fight Night 61 when he upset Alcantara.

4. Renan Barao vs T.J. Dillashaw

Pre-Fight odds: Dillashaw +650

This UFC 173 bout was the one that elevated Dillashaw to champion status. He stunned Barao while earning Performance of the Night, Fight of the Night and Upset of the Year honors.

5. Joey Beltran vs Rolles Gracie Jr.

Pre-Fight odds: Beltran +630

Beltran ended up having a really rough MMA career, finishing just 17-15 overall. He ended his career losing 12 of his last 18 fights but one of those wins was quite significant. He was a massive dog at UFC 109 but stunned Rolles Gracie Jr. with a second-round knockout.

How to stream UFC live for free

There are a few different ways to watch the UFC depending on what type of event is on the calendar. The best events are always on Pay-Per-View, which means you’ll have to purchase that from your cable provider or visit a sports bar.

There are other events that are featured on ESPN and ESPN+, which means you’ll have to have access to those channels as well. You can also watch through the UFC app with UFC Fight Pass.

If you have a sportsbook account you can often watch live sporting events free via the app or online sportsbook. Check with your local sportsbook to see if that applies to UFC cards.

UFC FAQ

What is UFC futures betting?

The futures betting market focuses on betting fights that are further down the road (weeks or months away) versus betting on the fights that are happening this week.

How to bet the UFC underdog?

The underdog is the fighter whose odds have the ‘+’ sign in front of them. Select that fighter in your sportsbook and place your bet on them to bet the underdog.

How much do UFC fighters make?

The average UFC fighter makes about $138,250. However, the stars of the sports can make millions through fights and endorsements.

How much revenue does the UFC make?

The UFC made over $700 million in revenue in 2017 and profits continue to rise as the sport grows.

Which UFC champion has the longest reign?

Anderson Silva has the longest reign as a champion. He was the Middleweight Champion for 2,457 days. His six-year run came to an end when he lost to Chris Weidman at UFC 162.

What does UFC stand for?

UFC stands for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

What is the Octagon?

The Octagon is the fighting cage where every UFC fight takes place.

Online Mma Betting

How many UFC weight classes are there?

In total, there are nine weight classes. They are:

• Strawweight
• Flyweight
• Bantamweight
• Featherweight
• Lightweight
• Welterweight
• Middleweight
• Light Heavyweight
• Heavyweight

How long is a UFC fight?

Championship fights are five five-minute rounds, so 25 minutes in total. Non-championship fights last three rounds or 15 minutes.

What are the ways a UFC fight can end?

A UFC fight can end via:

• Judge’s decision
• Knockout
• Submission
• Disqualification
• Draw

Who is Dana White?

White is often viewed as the face of the UFC. He’s the current president of the UFC.

Who currently owns the UFC?

The UFC is currently owned by William Morris Endeavor.

Who are the founders of the UFC?

The founders of the UFC are Art Davie, Bob Meyrowitz, Campbell McLaren, David Isaacs, John Milius and Rorion Gracie, but the sport has come a long way from its original days in 1993. It used to be the home for brutal, bloody bouts and while it still maintains the viciousness that fans love, there are far more rules and regulations to keep the fighters safe and allow the sport to be far more marketable.

As the premier brand in the sport of MMA, the UFC has experienced a massive growth spurt since its inception back in 1993. The growth has kicked into overdrive in recent years. It’s safe to say that the rise of the UFC has been one of the biggest stories in the sporting world over the past decade.

Betting on the UFC is in the midst of its own surge. What was once the domain of Las Vegas and risky offshore operators is now within reach for many folks across the US. The legalization of sports betting in a number of states has opened the doors for scores of folks, many of whom are starting their own love affair with UFC.

Our betting guide details how to bet online, upcoming fights and UFC odds as well as the top betting apps with UFC lines.

Best UFC Betting Sites in the US

Those in legal sports betting states looking to get in on the action, we’ll cover everything you need to know right here. We’ll begin by taking a look at the top spots to place your bets.

Top UFC betting apps for 2021

The legal sports betting environment continues to take shape. A number of operators are battling for their piece of the pie in legalized states, but some are emerging as the leaders of the pack.

• DraftKings Sportsbook: The industry leader in the world of DFS is making huge strides in the sports betting industry. Users who sign up via our exclusive links get $50 free plus up to $1,000 in bonuses. Use DraftKings Sportsbook online in: VA, MI, NJ, PA, CO, IN, WV, NH, IA, IL, & TN
• FanDuel Sportsbook: FanDuel is another company that made its bones in DFS. They’re taking the sports betting world by storm as well with a user-friendly platform and enticing promos. Signing up for an account via our exclusive links gets you a risk-free bet up to $1,000. Use FanDuel Sportsbook online in: MI, NJ, PA, IN, WV, CO, TN, IA, IL & VA
• BetMGM Sportsbook: The mobile platform for gaming giant MGM Resorts International, BetMGM is making tons of headway in legal and regulated sports betting markets. Click on our exclusive links to create an account, and you’ll be rewarded with an up to $600 risk-free bet. Use BetMGM Sportsbook online in: VA, MI, NJ, CO, TN, WV, NV, PA, IN & IA

Each of these operators offers UFC betting among a wide array of other markets. You can keep it simple and just bet on fighters to win, or explore a wide range of prop betting choices. In addition, live betting opportunities are available on each, and mobile is a perfect complement to take advantage of all that’s offered.

How UFC betting works

The most basic UFC bet will look familiar to those who are experienced with the moneyline, but there are also several other bets that are unique to the sport.

Let’s take a look at the standard ways that you can bet on the UFC.

• Moneyline: A bet on which fighter will win outright. The favorite will be designated with negative odds, while the underdog’s will be positive, e.g., Khabib Nurmagomedov -155, Conor McGregor +135
• To go the distance: A wager on whether the fight will go the distance, e.g., Yes +120, No -140
• Over/under on total rounds: A bet on how far you think the fight will go, e.g., Over 2.5 Rounds +130; Under 2.5, Rounds -110
• To win in specific round: A wager on a fighter to win in a specific round, such as Jose Aldo to win in Round 1 +140, Round 2 +120, Round 3 +110
• To win in range of rounds: A bet in which you’re trying to pinpoint in which round the fight will end, e.g., Round 1-2 +130, Round 2-3 +110
• Winning methods: A wager on how the fight will end, e.g., Knockout +140, Submission +120, Stoppage +150, Decision +110

How to bet the UFC live online

The betting doesn’t stop once the bell rings in UFC. Live online sports betting affords users the opportunity to place wagers as the action unfolds in real time. Odds and markets move fast, but that only helps to enhance the appeal.

During a UFC fight, you’ll see a number of opportunities to take advantage of, such as how long the fight will last and updated moneyline odds for the outright winner based on what has happened so far.

Beyond being potentially profitable for those who have a good feel for momentum, live betting also allows you to hedge your bets. For example, let’s say that you dropped a wager on Jon Jones to win in advance of his upcoming fight.

After round one, Jones just doesn’t look like himself, and you wouldn’t be surprised if he wound up losing. You can mitigate the damage of your original wager by placing a new bet on his opponent. If the odds and stake are in range to your original wager, you’ve somewhat covered your position instead of just taking an outright loss.

To fully take advantage of all that live betting has to offer, a mobile sports betting app is the way to go. You can bet from your phone at any time during the fight as long as you’re in a legalized state.

There’s no need to be at a sportsbook or locked in front of your computer. You’ll be able to go out and enjoy fight night and know that you can quickly take advantage of opportunities as they arise throughout the card.

Is it legal to bet on the UFC?

It wasn’t too long ago that legally betting on the UFC online was a mere fantasy. Today, it’s a reality. You don’t need to take a trip to Vegas to get in on the action, nor do you have to take any unnecessary risks with an unregulated and risky offshore operator.

You can find all of the UFC betting action you need right from the comfort of your own home in legal sports betting states. The lines are just as good as what you’ll find in Sin City, and you’ll find many more wagering opportunities than you would find at an offshore operator.

The legalization of sports betting not only means that more folks have access to a safe means of wagering, but it also translates into better product offerings. That means there’s real customer service to deal with if any questions come up, a number of different ways to fund your account and awesome platforms that are a breeze to navigate around.

Perhaps most importantly, the legal sports betting environment provides users with real protection and regulation. Operators that have hit the ground running in the US market are well aware of what they need to do from a legal standpoint.

For sports bettors, that results in some extra peace of mind that allows them to focus on betting without worrying about legal gray areas. For more niche sports you can bet on at legal US sportsbooks, check our guide here:

Is UFC available for Daily Fantasy Sports players?

Sports betting isn’t the only way to get in on the action with UFC. DraftKings and FanDuel both offer DFS games that have proven to be quite popular with users.

There are a number of different ways to play daily fantasy sports, such as tournaments and 50/50s, which are all made available at numerous price points to fit any budget. On the tournament front, a big fight night can attract thousands of users gunning for some eye-popping prizes.

The object of the game is to pick a lineup of fighters from those scheduled to compete on the card. Each of the fighters has a salary attached — ranging from high for top stars to low for unknown commodities — and your final lineup will need to remain under the cap.

Fighters earn points based on how they perform, and scores are tallied up as the action unfolds. Once the final fight on the card is in the books, the highest scoring lineup wins. DFS is completely legal and safe to play in 40+ states. Outside of Arizona, Hawaii, Idaho, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada and Washington, you’ll be good to go.

5 betting tips for MMA / UFC betting

There’s a learning curve for betting on any sport you may be unfamiliar with, but it’s far from insurmountable. When beginning with UFC, stick to the basics and work toward devising a strategy that fits your style. Here are five simple tips you can use to get the ball rolling.

1. Understand what the odds are telling you: Oddsmakers are quite good at what they do. There’s plenty of data behind the numbers they release to the public, so trust what they are telling you. For example, a big favorite indicates a skill gap that you simply have to factor into your decision. That said, don’t let that scare you off from betting on the underdog when you can justify it.
2. Know your fighters/styles: As you learn more about UFC, you’ll come to see that the fighters come from all kinds of backgrounds. Some are great grapplers, others are fantastic strikers and plenty excel in some areas and come up short in others. When breaking down a card, take some time to understand the styles of those involved to help spot any potential matchup advantages.
3. Go beyond career record: Fighters with stellar career records always look impressive at first glance, but don’t let that be the final word. Dig a bit deeper and take a look at how they built their record. What was the quality of their opponents? The same applies for those with poorer records, as they may be better than they appear if they gained a ton of seasoning against stout competition.
4. Study recent form: Just like athletes in all other sports, fighters trend up and down. Spend time examining how the fighters have fared in their last three fights, but make sure to go beyond the won-loss record. How long did the fights last? Has there been a significant gap since the last time they fought? Did they dominate opponents or escape with close victories?
5. Weight, travel and news: In advance of fights, public weigh-ins take place. While these may just seem like press events and part of the show, you need to pay attention. Fighters who are adding or cutting a good deal of weight can be impacted, so pay attention to major fluctuations. In addition, keep an eye on news surrounding the fight and consider the travel aspect. For example, is one fighter locked in while the other is making headlines with out-of-the-ring stuff? Is the fight taking place several time zones away from a fighter’s home base? Little nuggets such as these can make a big difference.

Once you have mastered the basics outlined above, you can begin spending more time on more detailed information such as fighter stats and dive even deeper into the matchups.

Getting up to speed on the UFC is nowhere near as intimidating as it may seem, and you’ll learn lots along the way to boot.

Top five fighters in UFC history

The UFC has a rich and storied history, and there have been a number of impressive fighters who have had lengthy careers inside the octagon. Picking the best of the best is no easy task.

How To Bet On Mma online, free

However, there are five who have enjoyed lengthy careers and headlined numerous pay-per-view events along the way. These fighters not only sold tickets and racked up impressive buy rates for fight cards, but also collected hardware along the way.

1. Randy Couture: A six-time champion, Couture is one of the most legendary figures in UFC history. He held the heavyweight crown three times, the light heavyweight title twice, and also served as interim champ in the light heavyweight division. Couture’s all-time record in MMA is 19-11, with seven of his wins coming by knockout. He headlined 18 PPV events, competed in 16 title bouts, and made an estimated $3 million in his illustrious career.
2. Anderson Silva: Just behind Couture on the list of most PPV events headlined is Silva, who was in the main event at 17 UFC events. His career record in MMA stands at 34-10-1, with 24 of his victories coming by knockout. Silva is a former middleweight champion and holds the record for the longest title reign in UFC history at 2,457 days. He also set a record with 16 consecutive victories over that span. Silva earned over $8 million in the UFC.
3. Tito Ortiz: Ortiz was the UFC light heavyweight champion from 2000 to 2003. He received top billing at 16 PPV events, and holds a career MMA record of 20-12-2. Among his claims to fame is a trio of memorable fights versus Chuck Liddell, Ken Shamrock and Forrest Griffin in 2006. Ortiz earned over $4 million in his UFC career and has continued fighting with appearances for Bellator and Combate Americas.
4. Jon Jones: The current UFC light heavyweight champion, Jones is considered one of the best to have ever stepped inside the octagon. A career mark of 26-1-1 does nothing but bolster his case. Jones has headlined 15 UFC events, most recently with a unanimous decision over Dominick Reyes at UFC 247. He continues to climb up the career earnings list with over $6 million thus far.
5. Georges St-Pierre: A pound-for-pound legend, St-Pierre won titles in both the middleweight and welterweight divisions during his time with UFC. He vacated his middleweight crown due to health issues. A career record of 26-2-1, main event status for 13 PPV events and career earnings of over $7 million are further testament to St-Pierre’s status as one of the best of all time.

Worst five fighters in UFC history

Let’s be clear: if you make it to the UFC, you’re doing something right in your fighting career. That said, there are some fighters who have records that leave a lot to be desired. Here’s a look at some of the worst won-loss records among those with more than 25 fights under their belt.

1. Jeremy Stephens: 15-16 record with one no contest over 32 fights.
2. Andrei Arlovski: 17-13 with one no contest over 31 fights.
3. Clay Guida: 15-13 record for 28 fights.
4. B.J. Penn: 12-13-2 over 27 fights.
5. Ross Pearson: 12-13 record with one no contest over 26 fights.

Stephens is third on the all-time list for most UFC fights. Donald Cerrone and Jim Miller are the current leaders with 34 fights apiece. Cerrone has a career mark of 23-11, while Miller is 20-13 with one no contest.

Most famous UFC fights of all time

There have been a ton of legendary fights inside the octagon during the 27-year history of UFC. Naturally, some of them have stood out as being the best of the bunch. Here’s a trio of UFC fights that quickly come up when the conversation turns to the most memorable and famous fights of all time.

• Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor: The record holder for UFC PPV buy rate, the hype for this UFC lightweight championship tilt was off the charts. The scene was UFC 229 at the T-Mobile Arena on the Las Vegas Strip, and the event also set records for biggest live gate in MMA history. Nurmagomedov won the battle in round four via submission, taking home $2 million for his troubles. McGregor earned $3 million in defeat.
• Ronda Rousey vs. Holly Holm: Heading into this fight, Rousey was in the midst of her dominant run and expected to add another pelt on the wall. Things would turn out much differently. Holm shocked the world by defeating the heavily favored Rousey by knockout in round two. Rousey had successfully defended the UFC women’s bantamweight crown six times beforehand with relative ease, so the result was quite stunning.
• Chuck Liddell vs. Tito Ortiz: This was the second meeting of the two foes, and the interest level was off the charts. UFC 66 was held on Dec. 30, 2006, at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. The event produced the largest PPV buy rate to date for the UFC, but the number has since been surpassed several times. Liddell took down Ortiz by TKO in round three in one of the most memorable battles in UFC history.

How to stream UFC live for free

The biggest UFC cards are found on pay-per-view. You can purchase the broadcast from your cable or streaming provider, or head to a sports bar that’s broadcasting the fights.

ESPN has the broadcast rights for UFC. The majority of events will be found on ESPN+, a subscription-based channel that has a slew of UFC content. If you get the UFC Fight Pass via the UFC app, you’ll also be able to stream events on mobile.

Additionally, certain sportsbooks have streaming capabilities and provide live feeds of events. Consult your operator for the events you can stream via the sportsbook app.

History of UFC

The Ultimate Fighting Championship made its debut on Nov. 12, 1993, from the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver. The event aimed to answer the long-standing question of which fighting style was the best.

Initially attracting a niche following, the UFC continued a steady rise before exploding in popularity for good after the turn of the century. Along the way, there were a number of controversies and legal challenges surrounding the violence of the competitions.

UFC managed to weather the storm and is now one of the more popular sports in the land, as evidenced by its broadcast partnership with ESPN. Prior to joining forces with the gang in Bristol, UFC’s TV home was with the FOX Sports family of channels.

Dana White’s influence on the UFC brand

The UFC brand loved by so many could easily have found itself out of business at one time. By the end of 20th century, the UFC was struggling financially, and considered close to bankruptcy. Dana White, along with his business partners – the Fertitta brothers (Lorenzo and Frank III) – formed Zuffa LLC.

White’s investment of $2m within the acquisition package was considered a huge personal risk, but with his business expertise, White was able to justify it. In the early 2000s, following the UFC’s agreement to adopt rules set by the New Jersey State Athletic Commission, the UFC brand grew rapidly, and developed some extremely charismatic, PPV buyout-boosting talents.

Amongst them were Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, who formed what many consider to be the UFC’s ‘breakout’ rivalry. Ken Shamrock, a former WWE King of the Ring winner, was also a popular figure of note. Shamrock’s bout with Tito Ortiz in November 2002 (at the Las Vegas-held UFC 40) rates as one of the most important in UFC’s entire history.

White’s determination to make the UFC brand as uncompromising as possible has been unrelenting. This was reflected in his reaction to the mass cancellation of sports events in early 2020, with White stating his intention to hold UFC 249 in the face of the COVID-19 pandemic. His talk of hiring an island just to stage the event was met with particular incredulity and amazement from UFC fans, but in the end, the event was postponed.

Though not the headline of the original card, Ferguson and Gaethje went into UFC 249 as a fascinating, and very evenly-matched pair of opponents. They kept even the most astute of bettors guessing until the starting bell, and did not disappoint on the night.