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UFC Event Calendar: How Many Fights Happen Every Year?

  • Breaking down how many UFC events per year
  • The UFC has grown tremendously since its inception in the 1990s thanks to major deals
  • Fans can also find and bet on the many UFC events from the BetUS Sportsbook

 

The UFC keeps growing in popularity. The world’s leader in fight promotion has come a long way since its inception in the mid-90s. You can see how prevalent it has made mixed martial arts (MMA) based on how many UFC events per year. There used to be no more than 20ish events in a year in the late 2000s. But since the 2010s, we can expect 40+ events in a year.

UFC Event Calendar: How Many Fights Happen Every Year?
Merab Dvalishvili | Christian Petersen/Getty Images/AFP

 

How Many UFC Events Are Held Annually?

As of 2024, the UFC averages around 40 events in a year. This is roughly three events a month or two events every three weeks. We can see how the company has grown based on how many UFC events there are per year.

Let’s examine how many events were held in the 2020s and 2010s:

  • 2023: 43
  • 2022: 42
  • 2021: 43
  • 2020: 46 (five cancelled)
  • 2019: 42 (one cancelled)
  • 2018: 39
  • 2017: 39
  • 2016: 41 (one cancelled)
  • 2015: 41
  • 2014: 46 (one cancelled)
  • 2013: 33
  • 2012: 32 (one cancelled)
  • 2011: 27
  • 2010: 24

 

Now let’s look at how many UFC events were held in the 2000s:

  • 2009: 20
  • 2008: 20
  • 2007: 19
  • 2006: 18
  • 2005: 10
  • 2004: 5
  • 2003: 5
  • 2002: 7
  • 2001: 5
  • 2000: 6

 

We can see some significant growth in terms of UFC events per year in 2005 (doubled), 2008 (doubled from 2005), and 2014 (more than doubled from 2008). What caused this sudden surge in UFC events?

 

Has the Number of UFC Events Increased Over the Years?

The short answer is ‘yes’ but only until recently. The promotion used to only air as pay-per-views (PPVs). How many UFC PPV events per year? Roughly 12 or once a month since 2007. But specifically, the UFC owes its life to the hit reality TV series: The Ultimate Fighter.

This aired on Spike TV and its finale on April 2005, became a launching pad for the sport. Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar produced a classic fight, which made many viewers diehard UFC fans. The UFC then aired its first Fight Night card, a free-to-watch TV event, on Spike TV in August 2005. The promotion then started increasing its UFC events per year.

The UFC aired mainly on smaller networks like Versus and Fuel TV but it hit another landmark when it struck a deal with Fox Network, its first “big-name” broadcaster. UFC on Fox aired in November 2011. At its peak, ratings rose to 8.8 million viewers, which increased the UFC’s popularity yet again.

Then in December 2013, the promotion introduced its exclusive streaming service: UFC Fight Pass. This prompted the UFC to hold even more events. In 2014, it held 46 events, nearly five times the number of events it held a decade before (10 in 2005).

Finally, in 2018, the UFC struck a deal with ESPN. This included broadcasting events on the main ESPN network TV and ESPN+, its streaming service.

With how mainstream the UFC has become, betting on it has become nearly as popular as NFL or NBA. Fans can find the best UFC fight odds on BetUS to name one book.

 

What is the Average Number of UFC Fight Night Events Per Year?

If the UFC only held Fight Nights and nothing more, we’d still get roughly two events per month. That’s how often UFC fights are. UFC Fight Nights, sometimes dubbed as UFC on ESPN or UFC on ABC (depending on what network it is airing) occurs around 30 times a year. If we add the 12 PPV events plus other UFC-branded events like The Ultimate Fighter or Road to UFC, we end up with 40ish UFC events a year.

Fans can bet on all these events. MMA odds and lines at BetUS are open. How many UFC fights have there been? Over 8,000 from close to 750 events as of October 2024. That is a lot of fights!

Stay updated with the schedule and check MMA news to see how often UFC fights happen. There is almost one every week.

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