During the build-up to a specific Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) event, you might have noticed that a number follows the acronym UFC. This layout might have prompted you to ask: what do the numbers in UFC mean? The answer is simple.
The numbers in UFC are used as a way of identifying the event in question. To get a better understanding of this, let’s go back to the very start of the UFC when this trend began.
It was on the 12th of November 1993 in the McNichols Sports Arena in Denver, Colorado that the first UFC event was held and subsequently branded UFC 1: The Beginning as it was the first of its kind.
Over the following 30+ years since then, each UFC event has been allocated a sequential number, which states how many there have been in total.
At the time of writing, there have been over 724 events (across all features), with more than 8,916 matches in total. The next fight – UFC 319: Du Plessis vs Chimaev – is scheduled at the United Center, Chicago, United States on Sunday 17th August 2025.
In the hugely engaging title fight at UFC 306, the last major UFC title event, Valentina Shevchenko defeated Alexa Grasso via unanimous decision. In a tight affair, Shevchenko out-grappled Grasso to regain the flyweight title. There were also impressive wins on the night for Diego Lopes, Esteban Ribovics, and Ignacio Bahamondes.
While the numbers following the UFC title events and Fight Night bouts are helpful with the chronology of events, they also create hype around the event on social media. They also help you to identify the latest UFC betting odds at sites like talkSPORT BET, where you can search for the specific fight you want to bet on.
For instance, if you want to plan ahead and bet on UFC 317: Topuria vs Oliveira – Lightweight title bout, you can do so right now at talkSPORT BET.
Overall, when asking what the three numbers in UFC mean, the answer is to identify and market an upcoming event.
How Many Numbered Events Are There in UFC Each Year?
The UFC strives to put on at least one UFC-numbered event a month but this isn’t always possible due to various factors like unforeseen injuries as well as a clash of interests. For instance, the UFC may decide against holding one of its marquee events on the same date as a highly anticipated boxing promotion for fear of losing out on the number of pay-per-views (PPV) buys they would normally generate.
Put differently, the powers that be at the UFC know that it would prove impossible to make a profit if they were to compete with other combat sports on the same night. You can see this trend for yourself the next time you scan the latest upcoming boxing bets given that you will notice there aren’t any UFC odds available on the same night.
The overall point is that scheduling often means that the UFC isn’t able to meet its goal of one numbered event a month. Still, they aren’t far off that figure given that since the very first UFC event in 1993, the UFC has averaged 9.7 numbered events every year.
What’s the Difference Between Numbered UFC Events and UFC Fight Nights?
The main difference between numbered UFC events and UFC fight nights comes down to prestige. In essence, numbered UFC events feature elite fighters competing for the greatest prizes in the sport of MMA. This means that UFC numbered events are usually behind a PPV paywall owing to the reputation and legacy of the featured fighters.
Fight nights on the other hand don’t have the same level of interest and are instead the breeding ground for the UFC’s future stars to emerge from. This doesn’t mean that they aren’t covered though. Indeed, the only difference is that while you will still be able to find sportsbook odds on these fights, you simply won’t be required to purchase the PPV card to watch the action. Rather, fight nights are usually broadcast on regional sports networks.
If betting on fight nights is something you’re interested in doing then keep in mind these safer gambling tools, which will assist you in staying in control when it comes to betting on any UFC matchups.
PPV UFC Events
PPV UFC events are elite fight cards that you are required to purchase should you want to watch the scheduled bouts. Here are some of the biggest UFC PPV events so far.
The Biggest UFC PPV Events So Far
1. UFC 229: Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Conor McGregor: £148 million.
Khabib Nurmagomedov’s infamous showdown with Conor McGregor in 2018 is the highest-grossing PPV so far with 2.4 million purchases.
2. UFC 264: Justin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor 3: £98 million
Another of Conor McGregor’s fights features on the list of biggest UFC PPV events so far which illustrates the Irishman’s unmatched global appeal. This time, The Notorious’ match with Poirier in 2021 generated 1.8 million PPV purchases.
3. UFC 202: Nate Diaz vs. Conor McGregor 2: £74 million
Unsurprisingly, it is that man Conor McGregor who features on the list again. This time, the Irishman’s second showdown with bitter rival Nate Diaz at UFC 202 in 2016 saw 1.6 million fans purchase the event.
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