UFC Archives - Page 3 of 3 - Loyal Martial Arts

With the UFC's popularity increasing year after year, it can feel like it’s always on TV. So, does the UFC have a season and how does it work? The UFC does not have a season, fights are on all year with an average of 41 live events per year. Most UFC fighters have 2-3 fights per year, working from Fight Night Prelims up to Pay-Per-View events. The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and Dana White’s Contender Series, mean more UFC fights are on than ever. So if you’re a UFC fan, don’t miss another fight. We’ve got you covered, including: How to watch UFC events (plus the differences between them)How often are UFC eventsHow many fights in a yearThe difference between The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) & Dana White’s Contender Series You can also discover how to watch old UFC fights in our article: 3 Ways To Watch Old UFC Events Does The UFC Have A Season? Some sport leagues follow a season in which all the games or matches will be played out. For example, September to February. However, Mixed Martial Arts (MMA) and the UFC do not follow a season. Meaning, UFC live events are on all year-round. When the UFC have their live events, they are hosted in a venue with a live crowd, and are also broadcast around the world on various TV channels. UFC events are usually presented in two main ways: UFC Pay-Per-View (PPV) eventsUFC Fight Night events If you have the right channel subscription (BT Sport, ESPN+ etc) UFC Fight Night events are included in your subscription. UFC Pay-Per-View events are not included in the subscription and need to be purchased individually. For example, in the United States if you subscribe to ESPN+ you can watch UFC Fight Night events at no extra cost. But to watch UFC PPV events you will also need to make a one-time purchase of the upcoming event you want to watch. What’s The Difference Between UFC PPV & UFC Fight Night? UFC Fight Night events usually feature up and coming fighters who are working their way up the ranks of the UFC roster. When a fighter is signed to the UFC, they will normally start out by fighting on the lower prelim cards until they have built up their name and popularity. However, more and more often UFC Fight Nights are stacked full of high-ranking fighters and putting on world-class fight of the night performances. Fight Night main events are five round fights featuring the big-name fighters. UFC Pay-Per-View (PPV) events are usually stacked from top to bottom with the most well-known big-name fighters and feature the most anticipated championship fights. You’ll know which event is PPV because they are numbered – for example UFC 100, 200, and so on. The numbers on UFC events show a time line of how many Pay-Per-View events have happened from past to present. For example, from the first UFC event (UFC 1) – all the way up to the current event. How Often Is The UFC On? Over the last six years there has been an average of 41 live UFC events per year with 3-4 events per month, including both the live Pay-Per-View and Fight Night events. PPV events: Average 13 per yearFight Night events: Average 30 per year Here’s a breakdown of the number of UFC live events from 2015 – 2020: Total UFC EventsUFC Fight NightUFC Pay-Per-View202046351120194330132018392613201739271220164229132015412813 How Many UFC Fights Are On In A Year? On average the UFC have 41 live events per year with an average of 12 fights per event. Meaning, the UFC has almost 500 fights in a year. However, this is just in the Pay-Per-View and Fight Night events. When you consider all the fights that take place during seasons of The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and Dana White’s Contender Series, the number is actually much higher – and still growing. Although technically, TUF fights and Contender Series fights are qualifying fights to sign a contract and get into the UFC, they are still high-level MMA athletes fighting in the UFC Octagon. What is The Ultimate Fighter (TUF)? The Ultimate Fighter is a reality TV show made by the UFC in which two teams fight it out in a tournament for the winner to sign a six-figure contract with the UFC. Each team is coached by a UFC fighter and a handful of supporting coaches. The first fight is to secure a position in the house and on one of the teams. Over the weeks the series then follows the fighter’s lives as they live in the house and as they train together. Each team is trained by their coaches to improve their skills in all the disciplines of Mixed Martial Arts, including BJJ, Muay Thai, Wrestling and Boxing etc. The first season of TUF was aired in 2005 and is said to have propelled the UFC into mainstream popularity. What is Dana White’s Contender Series? Dana White’s Contender Series is similar to The Ultimate Fighter in that the fighters are not yet signed to the UFC, but are fighting for the chance to earn a UFC contract. The difference between The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) and Dana White’s Contender Series is: The Ultimate Fighter is a reality TV show run by the UFC which follows the fighter’s lives as they live, train and fight togetherThe Contender Series is an MMA promotion separate from the UFC brand, hosted by Dana White to scout new talentBut both are potential avenues into the UFC for the fighters who perform well “This is not the UFC, this is not the UFC brand, but instead it’s a promotion that allows up and coming fighters to showcase their talents”Dana White’s Contender Series How Often Do UFC Fighters Fight? On average UFC fighters will fight 2 or 3 times per year. However, some fighters will compete more often than this and sometimes less. There are many factors that can influence how often they fight, including: InjuryMedical or legal suspensionWaiting for an opponent For example, former UFC Bantamweight champion Dominick Cruz was out of competition with injuries between Oct. 2011 and Sep. 2014 – and then again between Sep. 2014 and Jan. 2016 – that’s a long layoff. To catch up on the action and see how you can watch old UFC fights – check out our article: 3 Ways To Watch Old UFC Events