The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has become one of the most popular fighting tournaments in the world and gathers millions of people every week to watch the fights. Anything from YouTube stars taking each other on to full champions battling each other to see who the real top fighter is. Many first-time viewers may be confused why some matches are over so much quicker than others, wondering just how long UFC fights last.
A championship fight will last up to 25 minutes but rarely reaches this point as one of the fighters will tap out before the end of the fight. Non-championship fights can only last up to 15 minutes, and depending on the fighters can heavily rely on the judgment given to decide who wins. Before the early 2000s, many UFC fights were unregulated and could last for up to 40 minutes if neither of the fighters was willing to tap out.
There are many reasons that these fights have been shortened so dramatically, with many people not always realizing that the UFC is in full contact. This means that both fighters are hitting each other as hard as they can, usually trying to make the other tap out as fast as possible. Knowing what some of the shortest fights in the UFC are and what have been the longest will help you understand how the sport has changed over the decades.
UFC Fight Overview
Before and after each fight, several steps are taken, sometimes outside of the octagon and sometimes inside. Vital to know about these proceedings is that they are the same for almost all fights; however, depending on the type of match, the popularity of fighters, and event type, they may be shown on TV.
Most headlining events will be significantly advertised before they happen, with celebrity fights being advertised almost a full year before they are scheduled. Further, if a fight is taking place outside of the championships, things may be significantly different, with some fights allows for the weights of the fighters not to be considered. You must remember that these official tournaments that affect UFC rankings are not the same as tournaments held for publicity or even the Ultimate Fighter.
- Weighing: This happens in all fights a few days before the actual fight; however, most of these are not televised. Championship fights and headlining fights are the ones you will usually be seen in promos and on live television.
- Warm-Up: This takes place right before the fight, and each fighter has their designated area away from each other where they are allowed to warm up. In some fights, this will be when they meet fans or have interviews.
- Checks: Right before the two fighters enter the ring, there will be an official to check that everything they have is regulated, usually ensuring that the gloves that each fighter has on follow the regulation size and fit.
- Rounds: These are the actual rounds of the fight and will each last 5 minutes; there are 30 seconds to 2 minutes breaks between each round, and the referee or the bell are the only ones that can call a stop to around.
- Judging: Depending on how the fight has gone, the judges will declare the winner after someone has either tapped out, been KO’d, or the maximum amount of rounds have passed. The referee will usually announce the winner of a round by raising their hand above their head.
- Interviews: After the fighters exit the octagon, they will usually be interviewed by the press, depending on how much damage they have taken during the fight. Sometimes there may be press conferences; otherwise, it will just be a few quick-fire questions to each conscious and walking fighter.
How Long UFC Fights Take
The average UFC fight lasts only 15 minutes, with championship fights at the end of the night lasting up to 25 minutes. If a fighter is knocked out ahead of this or simply taps out, the fight can be over in as little time as under a minute. There have been fights that have lasted well under a minute, sometimes not even reaching the 30-second mark.
The type of fight determines each fight’s length, with fight nights specifically planned around the longest fights of the night. However, there are several circumstances where even a non-title or championship fight can be extended to 25 minutes. This requires special permissions to be asked from UFC regulators and will usually be between known rivals or celebrities.
While the entire fight might be as long as 25 minutes, each round only lasts 5 minutes, with breaks of between 1 to 2 minutes in between each round for the fighters to cool down and gather themselves. Before these times were introduced, some fights lasted several hours. However, by the ends of these fights, the fighters would usually be too tired and incapable of continuing, causing a draw to take place.
How often do UFC fights go the distance?
According to research done by UFC-Secrets, fights to go the distance on average 43% of the time, requiring that judges give a final ruling about who won the fight. With 22% of fights going for a technical-KO and just 11% going for a KO. This puts in stark contrast the 21% of fights that end in a submission, showing an opponent’s skill.
These are measured over 5000 fights over a set period and clearly show that despite the famous fights usually ending in KOs or TKOs, the judges are usually the ones to decide. The most determining factor in the outcome of a fight is how well matched two opponents are, with fighters that have the same amount of experience usually ending in decisions rather than KOs or TKOs.
As the sport has gained more and more popularity over the years, the more these have changed, the 90s only experience around 50 fights a year. While in the 2000s and 2010s, there were over 400 fights, peaking at 491 in 2014, which is considered the peak of the UFC fights.
What is the quickest UFC fight ever?
The quickest UFC fight in history took only 5 seconds and was at the UFC 239 between Jorge Masvidal and Ben Askren. As soon as the bell rang, Jorge anticipated the moves Ben would be making and ran from his corner to KO Ben with a flying knee to the face. Ben was unconscious on impact with the floor, and the referee had to remove Jorge as he delivered two more blows to the unconscious Ben.
The fastest ever may have been 5 seconds, but other fights were almost as fast, with the fight between Todd Duffee and Tim Hague in UFC 102, Ryan Jimmo and Anthony Perosh in UFC 149, and Mark Himinick and Chan Sung Jung all lasting 7 seconds. Short fights in the UFC are not that uncommon, with many opponents either finding themselves outmatched or simply not having a good day.
A remarkable amount of people in the UFC have experienced quick bouts where they barely had any chance to react. Quick fights can easily land a fighter in the hall of fame, as they usually happen on championship fights between two fighters that are slightly outclassed or between fighting styles that do not mix well with each other. Short fights are quite common in the world of UFC. It is when a fight starts lasting much longer that things become interesting.
How Long Do UFC Fights Last On TV?
UFC fights on TV will never be the full tournament, which can easily last for most of a day as each fighting pair takes 15 minutes to fight. On TV, a full UFC fight night will be two to three championship fights that last 25 minutes each. This means that a fight on TV can last between 1 hour to 1 and a half hours, with breaks in between each fight.
Some TV channels will have longer events, focused on the smaller fights that happen throughout a tournament. Further, if a celebrity fight like the Jake Paul vs. KSI fight will be scheduled to last 25 minutes and will be the headline event for the evening; even if there is no championship fight on the line.
Before time limits were added to UFC fights and tournaments, a fight would last until an opponent would either tap out, be KO’d, or the judges called an end to the fight. This caused some utterly amazing fights to take place as the fight between Royce Gracie and Ken Shamrock which lasted 7 round for a total of 36 minutes.
Final Thoughts
UFC fights usually last a few rounds, anything from three to five, and will be greatly affected by the skill of the fighters. Often, a fight that is expected to last several rounds can be over in nothing but a few minutes, while fights from unknowns can last much, much longer. Judging the length of a fight can be hard, and some of the best fights in UFC history were those that took people by surprise.
Whatever may be happening in the fight, it is vital to remember; these people are dealing out real blows. Nothing about the UFC is fake.