UFC News, Results, Rankings & Match Previews

The Ultimate Fighting Championship, or UFC for short, is the world’s leading MMA promotion, with events staged in an Octagon-shaped cage. SportsBoom is a hub for all the latest UFC news, fight results, and exclusive interviews. Read on to learn more about the sport’s basic rules, history, and future trends.

UFC Fight Previews

Joshua Van of Myanmar punches Brandon Royval of the United States

Betting

UFC Fight Night: Brandon Royval vs Manel Kape Odds, Tips and Predictions

Charles Perrin

Sports Writer

Last updated: 2025-12-08

5 minutes read

UFC Weight Classes

UFC divides fighters into weight classes to keep matchups fair:

Men’s Weight Classes

Flyweight – 125lb
Bantamweight – 135lb
Featherweight – 145lb
Lightweight – 155lb
Welterweight – 170lb
Middleweight – 185lb
Light heavyweight – 205lb
Heavyweight – 265lb

Women’s Weight Classes

Strawweight – 115lb
Flyweight – 125lb
Bantamweight – 135lb
Featherweight – 145lb

Although not every UFC division is active or stacked, these are the standard ranges you will see on UFC fight cards.

How UFC Fights Work?

UFC fights can be brutal, so let’s show you how they work:

1
Rounds & Time: Typically, non-title bouts consist of 3x five-minute rounds. For title contests, there are 5x five-minute rounds, with a one-minute break between rounds.
2
Ways to Win: There are several ways UFC events can end, including knockout (KO), technical knockout (TKO), submission, and decision, which is based on what the judges have jotted down on their scorecards
3
Legal Techniques: UFC permits punches, kicks, takedowns, grappling, and submissions, which are outlined in the Unified Rules of MMA. However, there are a few fouls that are outlawed under the Unified Rules of MMA. Performing any one of these actions, even accidentally, can lead to an automatic warning from the referee.

UFC Events & Fight Cards

UFC runs a packed calendar of events around the world. Our hub will detail all the news and UFC results as they come through.

Numbered Events

The biggest UFC shows are numbered pay-per-view (PPV events), so think UFC 250, UFC 300, UFC 350, and so forth. These major fight cards will typically feature high-profile matchups or top-ranked fighters, and they are now broadcast on Paramount+. This will be available to those with a Paramount+ subscription, who will be able to enjoy this fight at no additional cost.

Fight Nights

UFC fight nights are held almost weekly. Typically, held at UFC Apex or other renowned international arenas, this showcases the leading contenders, up-and-coming stars, and regional prospects. Usually broadcast on ESPN, this is a great way to follow the action, and you can keep on top of the UFC news via our hub.

U.S UFC Champions, Contenders & Legends

The UFC champions, contenders, and legends have been central to the sport’s brilliant narrative.

Champions & Contenders

UFC has champions per division, and a rotating cast of top contenders waiting for their chance to have a tilt at a title. SportsBoom.us covers every title fight in detail, analyzing matchups, and, of course, keeping tabs on ranking shifts.

UFC Legends

UFC has been filled with legends, and we’ve picked out five that transcended the sport:

Conor McGregor: McGregor held the lightweight and featherweight titles simultaneously, albeit they were marked by long periods without defenses. The Irishman’s impact in sport was measured by the fact that he fought boxing great Floyd Mayweather in 2017, but he lost in the 10th round.
Khabib Nurmagomedov: Hungry to win, Nurmagomedov cared little for trash talk, and he retired with an undefeated record (29-0). He was the lightweight champion for four years from 2008 to 2012.
Ronda Rousey: “Rowdy” Ronda became the first woman inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame, and she was the UFC bantamweight champion from 2012-2015.
Georges St-Pierre: At the heart of the GOAT debate, St-Pierre finished with a 20-2 record in UFC. He was a two-time welterweight champion (2006-07 and 2008-2013), and he also claimed the middleweight belt in 2017.
Amanda Nunes: Her resume was impressive as she claimed the most knockdowns (eight) in UFC women’s history, and she was also the first woman to become a two-division champion (bantamweight and featherweight at the same time).

A Brief History of the UFC

UFC, which was founded in 1993, earned a no-holds-barred reputation before evolving quickly into a regulated sport under the Unified Rules.

Early Days & Rule Changes
Originally, UFC pitted all forms of mixed martial arts against each other with little or no rules. The late Senator John McCain labeled the sport a “human cockfight” before the rules changed to gain athletic commission approval.
Zuffa/Expansion Era
Brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta took over control of UFC in 2001 under the company Zuffa, with Dana White appointed as president. White struck a mega TV deal with ESPN to expand coverage into Australia, Asia, and Europe
TKO & Modern Era
Zuffa was sold to a consortium led by Endeavor in 2021, and in April 2023, Endeavor confirmed UFC would merge with WWE to form TKO Group Holdings. New TV deals came into place, which expanded the roster of global events.
UFC has continued to surge in popularity, and it has become the dominant MMA brand.

The Future of the UFC & MMA

MMA and UFC never stand still, and they continue to evolve quickly.

Media & Streaming: UFC, it seems, has never been richer, with broadcast visibility exploding and PPV taking up surging. This shift towards big platforms will only continue to extend its global reach and ultimately make it more accessible to fans.
Rules, Safety & Equipment: To make the sport safer, UFC has brought in changes, such as introducing a new glove that will reduce the risk of hand injuries and eye pokes. More regulatory changes could follow.
Global Talent Pipeline: UFC is talent-rich, and this is owed to the rise of sophisticated recruitment and training programs. More talent is being fed into the sport, and the skill level is arguably higher than in previous eras.