UFC milestones — 2026 calendar guide
UFC milestones: 20th, 25th, 30th anniversaries and the 2026 calendar
UFC was founded in 1993, hit its 20th in 2013, 25th in 2018, 30th in 2023. Here’s the milestone history plus the 2026 calendario and where to watch.
TL;DR: UFC was founded November 1993 with UFC 1 in Denver. Major anniversaries: 20th (2013, with UFC 167 anniversary card and Georges St-Pierre headlining), 25th (2018, with UFC 232 cards and Cris Cyborg), 30th (2023, with UFC 295 at MSG and the Aspinall-vs-Pavlovich heavyweight title). The 2026 calendar (calendario UFC) runs ~40 events: ~12 numbered PPVs and ~28 Fight Nights, published annually at ufc.com/events. ESPN+ at $11.99/mo plus $79.99 per PPV streams everything. SDZ at $39.95/mo replaces a $150 cable bundle.
What you actually need to know about ufc 20th anniversary
UFC’s anniversary timeline and the 2026 calendar. The org was founded by Art Davie and Rorion Gracie with UFC 1: The Beginning on November 12, 1993 at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver — the famous single-elimination tournament won by Royce Gracie. 20th anniversary (November 2013): UFC 167 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas, Georges St-Pierre vs Johny Hendricks for the welterweight title, controversial split-decision GSP win. The 20th-anniversary content includes a 5-disc Blu-ray retrospective and special Fight Pass programming (now in the back catalog). 25th anniversary (2018): UFC 230, UFC 231, UFC 232 cluster cards plus dedicated 25th-anniversary documentaries on Fight Pass. 30th anniversary (2023): UFC 295 at Madison Square Garden NYC with Tom Aspinall vs Sergei Pavlovich for the interim heavyweight title (Aspinall first-round KO), plus Alex Pereira winning the light-heavyweight title same card. UFC’s 2026 calendar (calendario UFC): ~40 events total, ~12 numbered PPVs (UFC 309, 310, 311… through ~UFC 320), ~28 Fight Nights in cities including Las Vegas Apex, T-Mobile Arena, MSG NYC, Etihad Abu Dhabi, Co-op Live Manchester, Accor Paris, Qudos Sydney. Full updated calendar at ufc.com/events.
How ufc 20th anniversary fits the broader UFC / boxing landscape in 2026
UFC’s parent TKO Group (NYSE: TKO) — same parent as WWE since the 2023 merger — runs the UFC business through its Las Vegas HQ with international offices in London, São Paulo, and Shanghai. PBC (Premier Boxing Champions) handles Tank Davis, Spence, Thurman; Top Rank handles Tyson Fury, Crawford, Stevenson; Matchroom handles Joshua, Canelo, Taylor.
Each promoter has different streaming distribution (UFC on ESPN+, PBC on Prime Video PPV, Top Rank on ESPN+, Matchroom on DAZN), so where you watch depends on which promoter is running the card.
How to watch every UFC and boxing event without paying $150 cable
UFC: ESPN+ ($11.99/mo) for prelims and Fight Nights, plus $79.99 per numbered PPV. Boxing: ESPN+ for Top Rank, DAZN ($24.99/mo) for Matchroom and Canelo, Prime Video Boxing PPV ($79.99) for Tank Davis and PBC main cards. Plus the cable channels around them — FS1, ESPN cable, broadcast networks for free cable PBC cards: SDZ at $39.95/mo replaces a $150 cable bundle without the contract.The realistic 2026 combat-sports cord-cutter math, side-by-side: a cable subscription with the sports tier and PPV add-ons runs $150-$220/mo before any actual PPV purchase. The streamer-plus-SDZ stack runs $51.94/mo (ESPN+ $11.99 + SDZ $39.95) for UFC fans, or $76.93/mo (add DAZN $24.99) for fans who follow Canelo and Matchroom too. PPV fees are identical either way — $79.99 for UFC numbered cards, $79.99 for Tank Davis cards, no markup on the streamer route. The savings are pure on the cable bundle, which is the part you stop paying for.
What you don’t lose by cord-cutting: every UFC PPV is the same broadcast on ESPN+ as it is on cable PPV — same production, same commentators, same camera angles, same replay system. Every boxing PPV on DAZN or Prime Video is the same broadcast as the cable PPV version. The only thing cable gives you that streaming-plus-SDZ doesn’t is the bundled cable-PPV billing convenience — and that convenience costs $100+/mo for fans who already pay for streaming services.
How SDZ fits if you’re cord-cutting
Realistic combat-sports cord-cutter stack: ESPN+ $11.99 + DAZN $24.99 + SDZ $39.95 = $76.93/mo for the full UFC + boxing diet plus 5,000+ general channels. Compare to cable’s $150+/mo for the cable channels minus DAZN. PPVs cost the same either way.
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The Slam Dunk Deal
Cable vs Slam Dunk Zone
| Cable | SDZ | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost | $150+ | $39.95 |
| Channels | ~200 | 5,000+ |
| Devices | 1–2 | 6 at once |
| Contract | Locked | Cancel anytime |
| Sports | Premium tier | Included |
UFC 20th Anniversary — frequently asked questions
When was UFC founded?
November 12, 1993, with UFC 1: The Beginning at McNichols Sports Arena in Denver. Royce Gracie won the single-elimination tournament demonstrating Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
What was the UFC 20th anniversary card?
UFC 167 at the MGM Grand Las Vegas in November 2013. Georges St-Pierre vs Johny Hendricks for the welterweight title, ended in a controversial split-decision GSP win.
What’s the calendario UFC 2026?
Roughly 40 events for 2026: ~12 numbered PPVs (UFC 309 through ~UFC 320) and ~28 Fight Nights. Full schedule at ufc.com/events updated weekly.
How many UFC numbered events are there per year?
Roughly 12 numbered PPVs (UFC 309, UFC 310, etc.) plus 28 Fight Night cards in cities around the world, totaling ~40 events annually.
How do I watch every UFC event?
ESPN+ at $11.99/mo for prelims and Fight Nights, plus $79.99 per numbered PPV. For surrounding cable: SDZ at $39.95/mo replaces the $150 cable bundle.
Tip-off
Stop paying $150 for cable.
Same sports. More channels. More devices. $39.95/mo.
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