The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the world’s premier Mixed Martial Arts promotion. Showcasing some of the greatest fighters across multiple weight classes, fight nights are held worldwide for an intense and exhilarating competition.
UFC can be streamed live and exclusive content from ESPN+ in the US, Foxtel Main Event & Kayo Sports Australia as well as BT Sport Box Office UK. These streaming options provide live PPV fights as well as other forms of content streaming.
What is UFC?
UFC (Universal Fighting Championship) is an organization for mixed martial arts fighters from around the globe. Since its creation, it has quickly become one of the most acclaimed sporting organizations. Notable fighters in UFC include Conor McGregor, Georges St-Pierre and Ronda Rousey among many others.
While both WWE and UFC involve combat sports, WWE stands apart by offering more scripted entertainment with drama, spectacle, and larger-than-life characters as its focus. Matches in WWE are choreographed beforehand to predetermined outcomes; matches that include martial artists are choreographed as well.
The Ultimate Fighter is a reality television series which gives amateur fighters an opportunity to compete for contracts with Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Each season is determined by an elimination tournament; usually the winner goes on to fight in UFC. Although its format has changed over time, most competitors go on to compete.
How to become a UFC fighter
Becoming a UFC fighter requires years of hard training. Practitioners must master their chosen fighting techniques and build up a solid mental game, as well as compete in amateur fights to gain exposure and provide real world experience to fully appreciate what they’re signing up for.
MMA is an extreme contact sport characterized by strikes and punches, increasing the risk of injuries. Therefore, practitioners of the sport must stay fit and prevent further injuries by competing in local leagues; doing so allows them to train alongside professional fighters while learning new tricks from them. In addition, practitioners must undertake high-intensity workouts designed to build strength and cardio including interval training, plyometrics and agility drills to maintain physical fitness and avoid injuries.
UFC fights
At first, UFC fights were often fierce and bloody affairs; and low blows and head butts were legal in early tournaments, helping draw in audiences as the sport quickly progressed.
After purchasing Pride Fighting Championships, the UFC expanded further. Acquiring this company gave access to larger markets while adding top talent into their ranks.
The UFC has quickly become one of the most beloved sports in North America. Its success has increased thanks to ESPN and global expansion plans; fights in this promotion take place under mixed martial arts (MMA) rules which permit submissions, knockouts, and referee stoppages during fights.
UFC tryouts
There are several steps necessary for becoming a UFC fighter. Training hard is of course important, but also building relationships amongst fighters and promoters is also vital if you hope to advance within this competitive sphere. Building relationships will open doors of opportunities within UFC.
This season marks the inaugural open casting call held by UFC for women’s strawweight fighters. Tryouts were held in a hotel ballroom equipped with mats; Dana White and Joe Silva watched each candidate grapple and strike.
Emily Whitmore suffers an injury during a grappling session and thinks her rib has dislodged, however it is only minor strain. Gaethje announces the first match up between Roxanne Modafferi and Shana Dobson before leading them back to their living space.
UFC contracts
Top fighters at the UFC often command lucrative contracts that pay for their fights, training sessions and promotional activities.
Contract terms for fighters can be negotiated between their manager and promotion, with the most popular contract being one year in duration; however, longer agreements such as Eddie Alvarez’s 40 month or 8 fight deal (whichever comes first) have also been seen.
One of the more contentious clauses in fighter contracts is exclusivity. This clause prevents them from competing in any other MMA organization besides UFC/Endeavor and thus makes them captive to them both; some critics of its tactics have pointed to its exclusivity clause as unfair and inequitable.