What's the Difference in UFC Fight Night and UFC 'Numbered' Events?
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This week's UFC Fight Night
Holm vs. Silva, UFC Apex, Las Vegas, ESPN & ESPN+
Prelims: 6 p.m. ET, Main Card: 9 p.m. ET
The UFC has produced more than 650 events worldwide since its first-ever production in 1993. It has put together almost 300 pay-per-view (PPV) events after UFC 290, and the UFC is expected to surpass the 300 mark for PPV showcases a few months into 2024.
The UFC divides its production into PPV events alongside other affairs. So, as you think about betting on the UFC, you could be wondering what the different UFC events are.
We're here to help. Let's break down everything the UFC puts on each year.
What do Numbers Mean in UFC?
Often called "numbered" events, the UFC aims to put on around one PPV event each month. A monthly numbered/PPV event doesn't always happen, but after 30 years of putting on major MMA shows, the UFC has an average of around nine of these events a year.
These PPV fights cost a one-off payment to sit back and watch, regardless of your subscription to the UFC's TV partner, ESPN. Controversially, the UFC has increased the price of PPV events twice over the past two years, meaning almost a 10% increase in cost during a spell where there have been less than 30 PPV productions.
Despite the increase in cost from what is already an expensive deal, given how it’s a one-off show that lasts only a few hours, fans are treated to the best fights when they tune in.
Only on a handful of occasions has the UFC had a PPV event not featured a title fight, such as UFC 279, which saw Nate Diaz take on Tony Ferguson in the main event in September 2022. In most numbered events, there is at least one title fight, even if this fight doesn’t headline the card.
Regardless, sports betting players and fans can expect the best fighters in the world to feature at UFC PPV events.
What is UFC Fight Night?
UFC Fight Nights are the events that won't attract as much attention as a UFC PPV. At these events, the lesser known fighters and less attractive fights tend to take place, but down the years, the UFC has still put a few title fights on Fight Night cards and witnessed gargantuan battles take place.
ESPN+ is now the main broadcaster for UFC events and will produce 20 events each year under the branding “UFC on ESPN+."
Each Fight Night card features 12 fights unless there are late dropouts/cancellations that force that number to decrease. More often than not, however, there is a fighter waiting in the wings to fill this gap.
For UFC PPV events, there are also early preliminary fights before the preliminary event shown before the main card. For Fight Night showcases, however, there is only the preliminary card and the main card. Still, there are usually a lot of fights at each event and that gives those who like parlay betting several optinos.
Fight Nights are not free, but they are included as part of the subscription to ESPN+ in North America.
Is UFC Fight Pass Worth it for the Casual Fan?
The UFC Fight Pass launched in December 2013 with the UFC president Dana White calling it the "Netflix for fight fans." It is indeed just that, with Fight Pass broadcasting events from all areas of mixed martial arts, such as submission, grappling, boxing and kickboxing events, while even showing MMA fights from other organizations.
There is also a 24-hour streaming channel that plays a variety of non-stop content, while the Fight Pass on-demand library has over 20,000 fights from over 35 promotions across the world to watch.
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