UFC is one of the hottest tickets in town, and UFC's 2025 slate of fights has proven to be no exception. We'll show you everything you need to know about how to watch UFC, including Fight Nights and major numbered events.
Since its inception in 1993, the Ultimate Fighting Championship has become a staple of the mixed martial arts world. There are two major types of televised UFC events: Fight Nights and numbered events, like the upcoming UFC 319. Each evening features several notable fights, including one or two headlining events on the main card.
There are a few main differences between the events, namely that major title fights typically only happen on numbered events. Fight Nights have a main card and preliminary card, while numbered events usually have a main card, preliminary card, and early preliminary card. All UFC events are available to live stream with an ESPN Plus subscription in the US, but the main card on a numbered event requires a hefty pay-per-view (PPV) fee.
We've gathered everything you might need to know about tuning into UFC events around the world, from Fight Nights to title fights. Below, we've highlighted global watch options and potential savings opportunities for US viewers.
How to watch UFC in the US
UFC is available to live stream on ESPN Plus in the US. Subscriptions cost $11.99/month or $119.99/year. Major UFC events, namely numbered ones, require a subscription and a PPV fee of $79.99/month. Most Fight Night events and some early/preliminary fights on major cards only require a regular subscription, but most major numbered fight cards will require a PPV purchase.
If you don't already have an ESPN Plus subscription and you're planning to watch a PPV event, you can find some savings in the streaming service's PPV package deal, which couples an annual subscription (normally $119.99/year) with a PPV event (normally $79.99) for just $134.98, instead of $199.98. This deal offers $65 in savings, so it's a great opportunity if you're a UFC fan planning to hold onto your subscription for a year.
Additionally, if you pay the PPV fee five or more days before a major event, you can usually save $10 on your purchase. This Early Bird Offer applies to both the standard PPV fee and the aforementioned package deal, so you can still save money even if you already have an ESPN Plus subscription.
How to watch UFC everywhere else
The US isn't the only country with access to UFC events. Many regions, including Canada and the UK, offer live streams through different services. In the UK, you can watch UFC through TNT Sports on Discovery Plus. You'll need to subscribe to the service's Premium plan for £30.99/month to unlock UFC coverage. Usually, there's no PPV fee since most of the major UFC programming is on so late at night/early in the morning in the UK. However, we've seen some recent UFC events require a one-time fee of £19.99.
If you're outside the US or UK, you should check your local listings for more information since there's a pretty good chance you'll still be able to watch UFC. But if you're traveling away from home and find that you can't access your usual subscriptions, it might be time to try out a VPN (virtual private network). VPNs are handy cybersecurity tools that let you temporarily change the virtual location of your electronic device. This way, you can keep up with all of your usual websites and apps from anywhere, just like you would back home.
Our go-to VPN recommendation is ExpressVPN, a user-friendly option with a 30-day money-back guarantee. Check out our ExpressVPN review for more information, and keep reading to learn how to use a VPN.
How to watch UFC with a VPN
- Sign up for a VPN if you don't already have one.
- Install it on the device you're using to watch.
- Turn it on and set it to the location of your streaming service, like ESPN Plus (US) or Discovery Plus (UK).
- Subscribe and pay the subscription and/or PPV fee.
- Enjoy UFC online.
Can you order a UFC PPV event through cable?
Longtime American UFC fans might remember that they used to be able to order a PPV fight through their cable or satellite provider. However, this is no longer the case. ESPN Plus is the exclusive carrier of UFC PPV events in the US, which means that the only way to watch these major fights is through an ESPN Plus subscription.
Note: Using VPNs is illegal in certain countries, and using VPNs to access region-locked streaming content might constitute a breach of the terms of use for certain services. Business Insider does not endorse or condone the illegal use of VPNs.
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