Over the past 30 years, the UFC has risen to prominence on the strength of a devoted, grassroots fanbase, desperate to watch the best fighters in the world go at it.
As the organisation has grown, its focus has gradually shifted - from catering primarily to the passion of its loyal supporters to navigating the demands of a global business and meeting shareholder expectations.
Site fees now dominate the UFC's scheduling playbook. Cities and nations must pay millions for the privilege of hosting fight cards.
MORE: Everything you need to know about the UFC White House event
How the UFC's billion-dollar strategy is pricing out the fans that built it
TKO Group Holdings president and COO Mark Shapiro recently spoke at the Goldman-Sachs Communicopia and Technology conference, outlining why the company demands hefty subsidies for their visits.
"UFC is breaking records everywhere they go," he said.
"We still have 30 Fight Nights to sell for UFC [in 2026].
"But if we’ve got a St. Louis up against a Des Moines, Iowa, if you want us back there and you’ve sold out and broken records in both your arenas, you have to pay for us to come back or else we’ll take it to another town."
Chicago recently shattered records with a sellout gate. Azerbaijan paid millions for a debut card in Baku. Abu Dhabi pours state funds into long-term partnerships. Saudi Arabia spends in the 10's of millions.
The strategy mirrors the Formula 1 model. Each location competes for the UFC's attention with their wallets, pricing out smaller markets with equally rabid fans.
Even where fights happen, average blue-collar punters struggle to afford entry. Nosebleed seats cost hundreds and the lower bowl demand thousands.
Yet, pre-sales still evaporate almost instantly as re-sale markets gouge supporters desperate for even the cheapest seats.
The working class foundations of the sport is being priced away, eroding the culture as fans who once packed arenas with raw energy are being replaced by corporate buyers and celebrity influencers.
What is driving the UFC's move to quantity over quality?
Fight Night events increasingly rely on a single marquee fight. Undercards often lack competitive depth, divisional relevance, or storytelling that keeps the fans invested.
Take this weekend's UFC Perth event for instance. There are only three fighters who are currently ranked. The two men headlining - Carlos Ulberg and Dominick Reyes - and Loma Lookboonmee who is currently booked for the first fight of the night.
This is an apt example of the promotions quantity over quality approach. Their obligation to fill dates and honour contracts with broadcasters, overwhelm the focus on building strong, well-balanced fight cards.
The result feels transactional. Government-backed shows worsen the problem as fighters are shipped wherever the money flows. Why has the UFC not been to Spain since Ilia Topuria was crowned champion, or to South Africa during Dricus Du Plessis' reign?
🚨UFC Perth ticket sales have been ‘Poor’
— Dovy🔌 (@DovySimuMMA) September 25, 2025
“The venue is about half full— it’s disappointing”
via @7NewsAustralia pic.twitter.com/RaZDcYpNgA
Taxpayer funding makes the equation even murkier. The New South Wales government famously forked out $16 million to secure events over a four-year span.
State Premier Chris Minns preached the tourism benefits and the positive effect on young men, however, many argued that those funds would be better placed in hospitals, schools or any number of other services.
Many can't even afford tickets to the shows that they help finance through their taxes.
The UFC's evolution has been shrewd financial brilliance and they still put on great fights when they put their full promotional weight behind a card.
But if it continues selling access to the highest bidder, it risks losing the soul that made it what it is today.