UFC

UFC 300 is a significant milestone event in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, marking the 300th edition of the prestigious mixed martial arts competition.

The UFC celebrated its 30th anniversary in 1993.

The first Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event took place on November 12, 1993. It marked the beginning of the UFC and the popularization of mixed martial arts (MMA) in the United States.

UFC 6 was the first event to feature the crowning of the first non-tournament UFC Champion, Ken Shamrock.

UFC 40, held on November 22, 2002, was a critical event that saved the UFC from bankruptcy. It featured a championship match between Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock, which garnered mainstream attention and significantly increased pay-per-view buys.

The Ultimate Fighter series debuted on January 17, 2005, with its first episode, 'The Quest Begins'. It features professional MMA fighters living together in Las Vegas, Nevada, and follows them as they train and compete against each other for a prized six-figure contract with the UFC.

The Ultimate Fighter Season 1 finale, particularly the bout between Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin, is considered to have saved the UFC and captured public interest in the sport. Bonnar was also awarded a contract live on air, signifying the significance of the event.

The second season finale featured welterweights and heavyweights competing, with Rashad Evans and Joe Stevenson emerging as the winners. This season contributed to the growth of the UFC and the sport.

The fourth season, known as the 'comeback' season, featured past UFC fighters competing for a guaranteed title shot. This unique format and the victory of Matt Serra and Travis Lutter contributed to the show's impact.

On March 27, 2007, the UFC and their Japan-based rival Pride Fighting Championships announced an agreement in which the majority owners of the UFC, Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, purchased the Pride brand.

Coached by Jens Pulver and B.J. Penn, the fifth season aimed to kickstart the lightweight division and featured future stars of the division. The final, contested by Nate Diaz and Manvel Gamburyan, was a significant moment for the UFC.

After much anticipation, Chuck Liddell finally faced Wanderlei Silva at UFC 79 and emerged victorious via unanimous decision. The fight was intense, with Liddell showcasing harder punches and securing two takedowns, earning them both 'Fight of the Night' honors.

The sixth season, coached by Matt Serra and Matt Hughes, saw veteran Mac Danzig emerge as the winner. This season's impact is evident in the success of some of its participants post-TUF.

After Matt Serra sustained a herniated disc and could not compete, a replacement title match was signed between Hughes and St-Pierre at UFC 79. St-Pierre dominated the fight, ultimately forcing Hughes to submit verbally in the second round.

The seventh season featured a format change and the coaching of UFC Light Heavyweight champion Quinton Jackson and challenger Forrest Griffin. The final, won by Amir Sadollah, marked a significant moment for the show.

UFC 100, held in July 2009, was a significant milestone for the UFC, drawing 1.7 million buys. The event featured high-profile matchups including Brock Lesnar vs. Frank Mir, Georges St-Pierre vs. Thiago Alves, and Dan Henderson vs. Michael Bisping, contributing to its massive success.

UFC 100 was a significant event in the history of the UFC, marking a milestone in the organization's growth and popularity.

UFC 114 featured a popular clash between former UFC Champions and rivals Rashad Evans and Quinton Jackson, marking the UFC's first main event headlined by African-American fighters. The event scored over 1 million pay per view buys as Evans secured a unanimous decision victory.

As a result of the merger between WEC and UFC, the UFC absorbed the last WEC Featherweight and Bantamweight Champions, José Aldo and Dominick Cruz, making them the inaugural UFC Champions of their new weight divisions.

On March 12, 2011, UFC president Dana White revealed in an interview with Ariel Helwani that Zuffa had acquired rival MMA promotion Strikeforce. White explained that Strikeforce would continue to operate independently under the leadership of CEO Scott Coker. The acquisition was significant in Zuffa's expansion and gaining access to top-ranked fighters.

Jon Jones claimed the title of Light Heavyweight Champion on March 19, 2011, during the UFC 128 event.

The UFC's first broadcast television event, UFC on Fox: Velasquez vs. dos Santos, showcased only one fight to television viewers. Junior dos Santos dethroned then-undefeated UFC heavyweight champion Cain Velasquez by knock-out at 1:04 in the first round, making it the most-watched MMA event of all-time and the most-watched combat sports event since 2003's HBO bout between Lennox Lewis and Vitali Klitschko.

The first fight between Dan Henderson and Shogun Rua was a legendary battle that took place at UFC 139, showcasing the skills and heart of both fighters.

The UFC announced the cancellation of UFC 151, a pay-per-view event scheduled for September 1, 2012, after Jon Jones refused to fight Chael Sonnen on short notice. This marked the first time in UFC history that an event was canceled, with Jones shouldering the majority of the blame.

Demetrious Johnson defeated Joseph Benavidez on September 22, 2012, at UFC 152 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada in the finale of a four-man tournament for the inaugural title.

On the eve of UFC 154: St. Pierre vs. Condit, Dana White confirmed the UFC's feature of women's MMA with the signing of its first female fighter, Ronda Rousey. Rousey subsequently became the first female UFC champion, the first Olympic medalist with a UFC title, and the first woman to defend a UFC title.

The UFC purchased the contracts of 11 female fighters from Invicta Fighting Championships to launch their 115-pound Strawweight division. This move led to the first UFC women's strawweight champion, Carla Esparza, and the participation of several other notable fighters in the division.

The UFC and Reebok announced an exclusive deal in 2014, making Reebok the worldwide outfitter for the UFC. The deal was reported to be worth 70 million dollars, with fighters being paid over the next six years, roughly 260 thousand dollars per UFC fight card.

On November 14, 2015, the UFC 193 event took place featuring the highly anticipated fight between Ronda Rousey and Holly Holm. Holm achieved a stunning victory over Rousey with a KO/TKO via a kick in just 0:59 seconds of the second round.

UFC 200 was a major event that showcased top fighters and drew a large audience, reflecting the state of the UFC at the time.

The inaugural title was contested on February 11, 2017, in Brooklyn, NY, US at UFC 208.

UFC 214 took place on July 29, 2017, featuring a rematch between Daniel Cormier and Jon Jones. The fight ended in a No Contest in the third round.

Conor McGregor crossed over into boxing to face Floyd Mayweather, solidifying his status as a global superstar with his charisma, trash-talking, and fighting skills.

UFC 217 took place on November 6, 2017, featuring a highly anticipated card of mixed martial arts fights. It was a significant event in the history of the UFC, showcasing top-level competition and attracting a large audience.

On April 5, 2018, Conor McGregor and a group of about twenty individuals, including his promotional team, attempted to confront Khabib Nurmagomedov at the Barclays Center during promotional appearances for UFC 223. McGregor threw a metal equipment dolly at the bus carrying 'red corner' fighters for UFC 223, injuring fighters like Michael Chiesa and Ray Borg.

A UFC event where Justin Gaethje faced off against James Vick in a highly anticipated match.

The UFC 240 event featured a highly anticipated match between Max Holloway and Frankie Edgar.

A remarkable fight where the most total strikes were attempted in UFC history, with a staggering +746 strikes attempted against Calvin Kattar.

On April 3, 2023, Endeavor announced a deal to merge professional wrestling company WWE with UFC to form a new public company, with Dana White appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the UFC. This marked a significant development in the sports entertainment industry.

Anatoly Pimentel covers the fight card, predictions, and odds for the UFC Mexico event featuring Moreno vs. Royval 2.

As of UFC Fight Night: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev, which took place on March 2, 2024, there have been 681 UFC events held in 165 cities in 29 countries.