UFC 286 was a rousing success, and as such, the promotion will be coming back to the UK for another event this summer. Find out the details of the coming PPV, including when and where it is, the fight card, and how you can be there in style.
Last Updated: 24/05/23 at 09:25
The UFC is enjoyed by fans all across the world, no less than on the island nation of Great Britain.
British fans have revelled in the event every time the promotion has visited the UK in the past, as it is a rare occasion that happens only once or twice a year.
2023 has already seen a major pay-per-view in the UK with UFC 286, which saw welterweight champion and England’s very own Leon Edwards defeat former champion Kamaru Usman to retain his belt.
After the success of UFC 286, a new event has been confirmed for July.
Find out how to watch the UFC in the UK live and in style with premium UFC tickets and hospitality packages.
Register interest in UFC Fight Night London hospitalityUFC’s history in the UK
The UFC’s first event was held in 1993 in Denver, Colorado, USA. It wasn’t until 2002 that the promotion held its first event in the UK, UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall, hosted at the Royal Albert Hall in London.
Since then, the UFC has gone on to host 27 events in the UK, although it didn’t become a regular occurrence for the company to come over to our island nation until 2007. From then, the rate of UK shows per year varies between one and three.
The UFC has put on shows at multiple venues across the UK, but predominantly at the London O2 Arena. Here is the full list of where the UFC UK events:
- London, England (14)
O2 Arena (12)
Royal Albert Hall (1)
Wembley Arena (1) - Manchester, England (4)
AO Arena - Birmingham, England (2)
Resorts World Arena
Utilita Arena - Belfast, Northern Ireland (2)
SSE Arena - Glasgow, Scotland (2)
SSE Hydro - Liverpool, England (1)
Echo Arena - Newcastle, England (1)
Utilita Arena Newcastle - Nottingham, England (1)
Motorpoint Arena
Brits in the UFC
The demand for the UFC in the UK has been high for a long time. There have been many top fighters in the promotion who hail from Britain, including Michael Bisping and Dan Hardy.
Bisping especially is one that many Brits are fond of as he was the first British MMA fighter to win a UFC title after sensationally beating middleweight champion Luke Rockhold in 2016 at UFC 199. He is now in the UFC Hall of Fame.
In today’s UFC, there are a number of fighters from the UK who are making waves in the promotion, and there is even the second British champion who still currently holds his belt.
“Meatball” Molly McCann has been putting herself on the map. The Liverpool lass has only lost once in her UFC career, coming in her last fight. However, she is currently in her prime so there should be a lot more to come from her.
Paddy “The Baddy” Pimblett, also from Liverpool, has made a name for himself due to his antics in and out of the octagon. He is unbeaten in his four fights in the UFC, but he is mainly known for the drastic weight changes he undergoes between fights.
Tom Aspinall is doing great things in the heavyweight division. He has four Performance of the Night merits in his six fights in the UFC and has been the main event in his last two fights, both of which were held in the UK in 2022.
But it's Leon Edwards that is truly leading the way. Born in Jamaica but raised in Birmingham, he represents England and does so in style. In August 2022, he pulled off one of the most shocking victories in UFC history, beating Kamaru Usman for the welterweight title in the dying embers of the fight.
It was a stunning victory that made Edwards only the second Brit to win UFC gold. Of course, he then had to defend his title, which he did so in London and, to the delight of the home crowd, was able to win and retain his belt.
Next UFC event in the UK
After the record-breaking UFC 286, UFC announced that they will be coming back to the UK in 2023 with another event, this time a Fight Night.
UFC Fight Nights don’t have as big a stature as their proper numbered events, but that doesn’t mean it won’t be something special.
The UFC Fight Night London event, officially known as UFC Fight Night: Aspinall v Tybura, will be coming back to the London O2 Arena on Saturday 22nd July.
How to get UFC Fight Night tickets
You will not want to miss this one-night spectacle. It will be a fantastic occasion, and you can make it even more special with premium UFC Fight Night London VIP tickets and hospitality packages.
When you book an official UFC Fight Night London ticket package, you will be treated to a number of exclusive perks. While package information is unavailable as of yet, here is what was included in the packages*:
- Reserved seating at weigh-ins
- Private VIP entrance to The O2 arena
- In-venue hospitality with UFC fighter guest appearances
- Reserved seat in a prime location on fight night
- Official souvenir gift pack
- Post-fight Octagon experience
*List of inclusions represents inclusions from all packages and is not representative of what is included in one package.
So don’t miss out on what is sure to be another memorable night of UFC action in the UK. Standard tickets for these events always sell out quickly, so why not look to guarantee your place in luxury with UFC Fight Night London premium tickets and hospitality packages?
Official VIP packages go on sale Friday 26th May 2023 at 10:00 am.
Register interest in UFC Fight Night London hospitality
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