UFC has made mixed martial arts one of the world’s most acclaimed sports through their innovative marketing strategies and action-packed fights, captivating millions of fans around the world.
UFC fights can be watched online in several ways. You can either use the UFC app for pay-per-view (PPV) events, or subscribe to UFC Fight Pass and watch early prelims and regular fights as they take place.
What is UFC?
UFC (United Fighting Championship) is an American mixed martial arts organization featuring some of the world’s premier fighters. Events showcase various disciplines of fighting such as boxing, Brazilian jiu-jitsu, and wrestling – and have quickly gained worldwide acclaim and interest for training programs in these forms of combat sports. Training programs often improve cardiovascular health, strength and flexibility – making MMA training programs attractive options for individuals seeking optimal fitness levels.
UFC fighters are independent contractors, making unionization more complex. Yet despite these challenges, the UFC continues to thrive and grow; recently opening state-of-the-art UFC Performance Institute training centers in Las Vegas and Shanghai; further expansion plans include opening more centers. This expansion will help bring new fighters into the sport.
Origins
The Ultimate Fighting Championship began as a tournament-style competition in 1993, pitting martial arts practitioners from different styles against one another in no-holds-barred fights. Politicians such as John McCain dubbed this form of combat sports “human cockfighting.”
Dana White and Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta purchased the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in 2001, turning it into an official sport with weight classes and rules still used today – this marked its gradual ascent to mainstream popularity and worldwide recognition.
UFC’s rapid growth was propelled by charismatic athletes like Ronda Rousey. Her quick finishes broke barriers for women fighters while also drawing new audiences to watch her.
Rules
Fighters must abide by several rules during a fight. These include no eye gouging, hair-pulling, cage grabs or groin attacks as well as striking the back of their opponent’s head or punching/kicking them while they are downed.
MMA is overseen by local and state athletic commissions to ensure both fighter safety and fair competition. While some smaller shows may implement additional rules, most events adhere to the Unified Rules of MMA that provide a uniform framework across events worldwide.
On event day, athletes must pass a hydration test. If they do not make their contracted weight class, a percentage of their fight purse may be fined as penalties. Other violations such as stalling can result in yellow cards or the deduction of fighting points.
Fights
UFC fights are full-contact matches that showcase various martial art disciplines and fighting techniques. Fighters from different martial art backgrounds participate in a no-holds-barred contest for either the Fight of the Night award or UFC title.
Are You Training Hard for UFC Fights? In order to become a UFC fighter, intense training sessions such as reactive plyometrics are needed – these exercises involve jumping and kicking while the body is moving at high speeds.
Initial UFC fights featured bouts between martial artists from different backgrounds, such as wrestling against judoka or jiu-jitsu against Muay Thai fighter. At that time, all fighting techniques except eye gouging and biting were allowed.
Streaming
After having exclusive broadcast rights for years through Fox, the UFC joined forces with ESPN+ streaming service in 2018 as its new home for all PPV fights and regular Fight Night programs.
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