UFC live stream: watch Fight Night and PPV events online anywhere

MMA action is back and the next big card is UFC 250 this June

For the world's biggest MMA (mixed martial arts) promotion, look no further than UFC, or the Ultimate Fighting Championship in full. Octagon stars like Conor McGregor, Jon 'Bones' Jones, and Amanda Nunes are some of the biggest draws in the entire sports world, while the often vicious and always unpredictable nature of MMA fights mean that title belts change hands regularly - making for great viewing for die-hard fans and new devotees alike.

This usually happens at the promotion's monthly numbered PPV events, of which UFC 250 is the next in June - headlined by Amanda Nunes vs Felicia Spencer in a women's featherweight title clash. The action resumed in earnest in May with UFC 249 and Justin Gaethje's career defining victory over Tony Ferguson. Building up to these, UFC Fight Nights help separate the best from the rest and are also back in action this May after a Covid-19 enforced shutdown period. 

Follow our guide and you'll see just how easy it is to find a trustworthy UFC stream online and never miss a second of Octagon action ever again. Whether you're a dedicated UFC Fight Night fan or just tune in for the big cards, here's how to watch a UFC live stream no matter where you are in the world right now.

As we've said, the biggest UFC fights are reserved for its 'numbered' events. These take place once a month - so UFC 249 was in May, UFC 250 is in June and so on. They're typically available on a pay-per-view basis and held at big name venues in the US, though these are likely to be closed doors affairs for the time being - as has been in the case recently in Jacksonville and will be again in Las Vegas for the next round of cards.

On top of that, a second-tier of events exist called UFC Fight Nights. These are held on a weekly basis and occur all over the globe, usually featuring up-and-coming local fighters. They're still a darn big deal, though, being held at huge international venues with tickets changing hands for hundreds of dollars. 

Both types of UFC events are shown exclusively on ESPN and the ESPN+ streaming service in the US, usually taking place on Saturday nights. There's also a third series of Octagon bashes called 'UFC on ESPN' - these occur intermittently and air on one of ESPN's TV channels in America. For the events that matter most, follow our guide and find out the best ways to watch a UFC live stream wherever you are.

Live stream UFC Fight Night and PPVs in the US with ESPN+

Octagon fanatics in the US may already know that ESPN and ESPN+ enjoy the rights to UFC live stream action - from Fight Nights to the big pay-per-views.

To watch UFC Fight Night events, all you need is a regular ESPN+ subscription, which costs just $4.99 a month and is even better value when bought as part of combined bundle that includes ESPN+, Hulu and Disney Plus for just $12.99 a month.

Things get a bit more complicated when it comes to watching UFC PPVs, such as the recent UFC 249 and upcoming UFC 250. Tuning in to these cards costs $64.99 a pop for existing ESPN+ subscribers, but every month the streaming service offers a UFC Bundle that costs $84.98 and includes the next PPV along with a year's subscription to ESPN+ (worth $50 on its own). 

This is easily the best value way to stream UFC pay-per-views online, though note that they're time sensitive and the latest deal may not go live until a week or two before the event.

ESPN+ also offers plenty of added value content for UFC fans, like Dana White’s Contender Series, UFC Destined, and Ariel & The Bad Guy, plus the ability to watch classic fights and replays. It also offers live MLB, NHL, MLS, Serie A, and FA Cup games - when they are being played, of course.

How to watch a UFC live stream in the UK

In the UK and Ireland, BT Sport has exclusive broadcast rights to UFC events. The good news for subscribers is that every UFC Fight Night is shown on BT Sport as standard - check your TV listings before each event for the exact channel, but it's often BT Sport 2 based on our experience.

The even better news is that those 'numbered' UFC events we've talked about (UFC 250) being the next) are increasingly being shown on BT Sport at no extra cost - while in the rest of the world they remain pricey PPV-only offerings. 

Timings vary, especially for UFC Fight Night events as they're held all over the world, but big cards generally see coverage start at around 1am BST on the relevant Saturday night/Sunday morning, with the main fights getting underway at around 3am.

The broadcaster's coverage of UFC is available via the BT Sport app and on its website, so you can live stream UFC on most devices these days - and don't forget that you can now get BT Sport without a massive commitment. The new £25 Monthly Pass is simply superb value for access to all the big UFC fights, when you consider that those in the States can end up coughing up around $65 for a single event.

How to live stream UFC in Australia

Streaming service Kayo Sports is ESPN's partner in Australia and this means there's heaps of UFC content available on its fantastic value packages. Basic costs just $25 a month and lets you stream on two screens, while Premium is a mere $35 a month for simultaneous viewing on up to three devices. 

Of the two, Kayo Sports Premium represents the best value as it offers multi-screen support - which means you can effectively split the price of a monthly subscription between friends or family and pay less.

Kayo also lets you watch a load of other great sports, not least offering an NRL live stream for every match of the 2020 season. There's even a free 14-day Kayo Sports trial on offer, so you can check it out for yourself without committing a penny, and its app works across PCs, Macs, smartphones, tablets, select smart TVs and more - console support is the only obvious outlier but it's said to be "coming soon".

On TV, Foxtel Sports is where Aussie UFC fans should look for Fight Night action - you'll need the network's Sports Package, but Foxtel subscribers benefit from access to the Foxtel Now streaming app.

Watching UFC pay-per-view events is another matter. Kayo shows some undercard fights but to watch a full main event like UFC 249, you'll have to cough up a few bob. On TV, you can buy these fights via Foxtel Main Event - or live stream them with UFC Fight Pass. Expect these fights to cost around $54.95 whatever option you choose, with coverage of the numbered events generally starting around 12pm AEST on the Sunday.

Live stream UFC Fight Night and PPVs in Canada

Canadian fight fans also have a few options for watching UFC on TV and online. In the main, big cards like UFC 250 will be pay-per-view events on TV and should be offered by most major cable providers, including the likes of Bell, Rogers, Shaw, Telus, Eastlink - expect to pay around $64.99 for the privilege.

To live stream UFC's biggest events, your safest bet is therefore likely to be UFC Fight Pass, as it is in other countries. Expect similar pricing to TV pay-per-view costs. Beyond that, UFC Fight Nights are a lot cheaper and easier to find. Generally, they're shown on TSN (The Sports Network), which offers streaming-only access from $4.99 a day or $19.99 a month.

UFC live stream in New Zealand: how to watch every event

Fans based in New Zealand can catch the major UFC events on Sky Arena. Similar to most other streaming platforms, you will have to cough up for PPVs - usually to the tune of $39.95.

Big UFC fans wanting to watch Fight Night events as well will find that a UFC Fight Pass is the best option to tune in to MMA action weekly.