The growing number of online streaming platforms has made it easier than ever to “cut the cord” altogether (that is, to ditch your cable or satellite television subscription in favor of online-only services), but due to antiquated broadcasting restrictions, sports has taken awhile to catch up to the crowd. Services like Netflix, Hulu, and Amazon Prime are ubiquitous nowadays when it comes to movies and TV. Modern 4K TVs even come with Wi-Fi connectivity and streaming capabilities built right in, making things even simpler — but only recently have services like ESPN+, Fubo, Sling, and Hulu sought to do the same thing for live-action sports.
Although cord-cutting is a great way to save money and enjoy your favorite shows (particularly on premium channels like HBO), watching sports has been a bit trickier — until now. This is especially good news for MMA fans, as UFC’s cozy relationship with ESPN makes it easier than ever to stream UFC. The world’s biggest mixed martial arts fighting league has joined with ESPN to bring you all of your favorite UFC content in 2020, both online and on TV.
Fox held the broadcasting rights to UFC through 2018, but for 2019, the contract went to ESPN. This means that this year, all Ultimate Fighting Championship content, including Pay-Per-View events, will air exclusively on the sports network. Upcoming PPV events include UFC 248 on Saturday, March 7 fight between Israel Adesanya and Yoel Romero; and UFC 249 on April 18 between Khabib Nurmagomedov and Tony Ferguson. If you already have ESPN with a cable subscription, then you can enjoy all the action right on your TV. This is also good news for cord-cutters, however, as ESPN rolled out its own online streaming service called ESPN+ last spring. Here’s where you can stay up to date with results, scheduled fights, top fighters and more. The latest events, content, and news about ESPN+ can also be found here.
ESPN+
Khabib Nurmagomedov of Russia (top) punches Dustin Poirier in their lightweight championship bout during UFC 242 at The Arena on September 7, 2019 in Yas Island, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates. Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC/Zuffa LLC/Getty Images
If you already have a streaming service you like and all you want is ESPN+ (which offers a mountain of sports content all on its own) for streaming UFC fights online, then you can simply sign up for it and you’re good to go. It’s a great value at just $5 per month or $50 per year. You can also use it with Amazon Fire, iOS, Android, and Chromecast devices, as well as your computer’s web browser.
Other streaming platforms
On the other hand, if you’re only now cutting the cord and are looking for a streaming TV package that comes bundled with ESPN channels — particularly the ones where you’ll be able to watch UFC – then you’ve got a few options. All of these premium streaming services work on Android, iOS, Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, and Roku devices, as well as modern computer web browsers unless otherwise noted:
- Hulu includes ESPN as part of its $45-per-month Live TV plan. You can also add premium channels like HBO, Showtime, Cinemax, and Starz, for an extra fee. Hulu can be used on your Xbox console, Samsung smart TV, and Vizio SmartCast TV as well as the devices listed above.
- Sling TV has two packages which include ESPN channels: The $25 per month Orange plan and the $40 per month Blue + Orange plan. Premium channels cost extra, although HBO and Cinemax are not available with Sling. Sling is now available on Roku devices and it can be used with LG and Samsung smart TVs as well as the Xbox One.
- YouTube TV, available for $40 per month with additional premium channel subscriptions on offer, comes with ESPN, although it also lacks HBO and Cinemax. You get unlimited DVR cloud storage, however. YouTube TV cannot be streamed on Fire devices (although that’s coming later this year), but it is available on the Xbox One.
- DirecTV Now has the widest selection of packages and premium channels, but it’s also more expensive than most other services. Plans range from $50 to $135 per month, and all tiers include ESPN (as well as HBO, which is a nice bonus you won’t have to pay for as an add-on). DirecTV Now works on all of the standard streaming devices as well as Samsung smart TVs.
- PlayStation Vue might not have the name recognition of Hulu or DirecTV, but it’s surprisingly good. Its four plans, ranging from $50 to $85 per month, all come bundled some ESPN channels to let you stream UFC to your heart’s content. Along with popular streaming devices, PlayStation Vue can also be used on PS3 and PS4 consoles, which is good for PlayStation owners as it’s one of the few live streaming services that Sony’s console supports.
When are UFC Fights in 2020?
In general, the UFC seasons start in January and finish up in the fall. The schedule is constantly shifting, however, so your best bet is to check the UFC event schedule fairly regularly to see when things are happening. Below is a quick overview of fights in the queue right now:
Date
Time
Event
Fighters
March 7
10 p.m. ET
UFC 248
Adesanya vs. Romero
March 21
4 p.m. ET
UFC Fight Night
Woodley vs. Edwards
March 28
7 p.m. ET
UFC Fight Night
Ngannou vs. Rozenstruik
April 11
10 p.m. ET
UFC Fight Night
Overeem vs. Harris
March 14
8 p.m. ET
UFC Fight Night
Lee vs. Oliveira
April 18
10 p.m. ET
UFC 249
Khabib vs. Ferguson