The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is taking the world by storm. MMA is a radical alternative to limited combat sports like boxing and kickboxing, blending multiple martial arts to offer fans something close to ‘no-holds-barred’ combat.
Because of the sport’s many facets, it can be difficult for new or casual fans to keep track of fighters, techniques, rules, and whatever else the UFC throws out every weekend.
This guide is intended to be a catch-all for those fans to understand UFC’s rules, rankings, weight divisions, fighting styles, and where to watch the fights.
Table of Contents
UFC explained for beginners and casual fans
UFC is MMA. Events are typically hosted every Saturday night, with only a few weeks of the year vacant. Normal fights are three five-minute rounds, while main events and championship fights are five five-minute rounds.
UFC Fight Nights are reserved for contender matchups, whereas numbered events (i.e., UFC 326) are normally reserved for title fights. UFC events contain a mix of women’s and men’s fights.
How UFC scoring works
Three cage-side judges score a UFC fight. UFC uses a ten-point must system, like boxing.
- 10-10 Round: Basically a tie.
- 10-9 Round: One fighter wins by a close margin.
- 10-8 Round: One fighter wins by a large margin.
- 10-7 Round: One fighter wins by an overwhelming margin.
Fighters do not get given an automatic 10-8 for knockdowns, unlike boxing. Judges look for damage, control, and aggression when scoring rounds. If the fight runs the full time, it goes to a decision, where the judges’ scorecards decide the outcome:
- Unanimous decision: All three judges agree on who won.
- Majority decision: Two judges agree, one scores a draw.
- Split decision: Two judges agree, one disagrees.
- Technical decision: The fight is stopped prematurely (normally an injury) and goes to the scorecards.
- Draw: All three judges rule a draw.
- Majority draw: Two judges draw, and one scores a winner.
- Split draw: Two judges score opposite winners, and one scores a draw.
Hardcore MMA fans love to dispute decisions on MMA Decisions.
How UFC rankings work
Advanced guide to UFC rankings
UFC ranks are both merit-based and a popularity contest. Each division has a top-15, not including its champion. Rankings are adjusted per fight, and can be tracked on the official UFC website.
UFC weight classes explained
Advanced guide to UFC weight divisions
Weight classes exist so fighters compete against opponents of similar stature. They separate heavyweight giants from tiny flyweights, keeping competition fair and entertaining.
UFC uses nine major divisions, with two women’s divisions included:
- Women’s strawweight: 115 lbs
- Flyweight (men’s and women’s): 125 lbs
- Bantamweight (men’s and women’s): 135 lbs
- Featherweight: 145 lbs
- Lightweight: 155 lbs
- Welterweight: 170 lbs
- Middleweight: 185 lbs
- Light heavyweight: 205 lbs
- Heavyweight: 265 lbs
Weight cutting in UFC
Before any UFC event, fighters must weigh in for their respective division. They do this by weight cutting, a dangerous process of fasting and dehydration. There are penalties if fighters miss weight in the UFC: they could be fined a portion of their fight purse, or the fight could be canceled altogether.
Different martial arts in UFC
Mixed martial arts encapsulates every martial art on Planet Earth. However, only a few martial arts dominate at the world level in MMA: Muay Thai, kickboxing, wrestling, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, and boxing.
Grappling is dominant in MMA due to limitations on attacking downed opponents. Striking vs. wrestling is a common predicament in the cage. Cardio and conditioning are king, and usually the fitter fighter wins the contest.
Styles affect fight outcomes, but a fighter’s determination and doggedness can also be a deciding factor. That’s why we love MMA!
How to watch UFC
- USA fans can watch UFC on UFC Fight Pass and Paramount+.
- European fans can watch UFC on UFC Fight Pass, TNT Sports, or HBO Max.
- Indian fans can watch UFC on Sony Sports Network.
- Australian fans can watch UFC on KO Sports.
UFC has a full ‘how to watch’ on their website.
Key UFC terms explained
Knockout vs. TKO
A knockout is when a fighter has been detached from consciousness. A technical knockout (TKO) is when the fight is stopped because the fighter is no longer intelligently defending themselves.
Submissions and tapping out
Fighters can make their opponents quit the fight by causing discomfort. This can be due to chokes, joint locks like armbars, or something as simple as feeling overwhelmed. Fighters quit the fight by tapping the opponent or the canvas. They can also quit verbally.
Ground & Pound
The act of striking an opponent who is on the ground, while in a dominant position.
How many fights are on a UFC card?
Anywhere from 10 to 15. This depends on cancellations and venue scheduling.
How do fighters get into the UFC?
Fighters can earn a contract on Dana White’s Contender Series, or they can be signed from a smaller promotion.
What is a UFC title fight?
A UFC title fight is when a championship belt is up for grabs. A UFC champion is the top fighter of their division.
How many times do UFC fighters fight a year?
UFC fighters compete anywhere from 1 to 5 times a year. The average would be 2-3 fights a year.
How often do UFC champions defend their belts?
UFC champions defend their belts on average 1 to 3 times a year.
What is the UFC Octagon?
The UFC Octagon is the eight-sided cage where fighters compete. The walls are referred to as ‘the cage,’ and the floor is ‘the canvas.’
If you’re just getting into the sport, this guide should give you a solid foundation. But the real depth of the UFC comes from the details behind each of these systems, like how fights are judged, how contenders are chosen, and what separates elite fighters from the rest.
