UFC events in the UK: History, dates, fights, attendances and list of London bouts for MMA promotion

MMA fans have flocked to watch UFC events at some of the largest venues and arenas in the UK over the decades.

Two-time heavyweight king Stipe Miocic, former middleweight champion and current UFC commentator Michael Bisping, and MMA legend Anderson Silva are among the hugely popular fighters to have headlined blockbuster cards.

UFC president Dana White has praised the passion and loyalty of UK MMA fans in the past, which has been evidenced by the impressive attendance figures.

When did the UFC first visit the country and when is it next there? Here's a look back at some UK UFC history, full details from those events, and future plans.

UFC 38: Brawl at the Hall. Royal Albert Hall London, England. Jul. 13 2002 pic.twitter.com/HpEc4A2lCK

— UFC Posters (@posters_ufc) June 26, 2022

UFC in the UK: How many events have there been?

As of early March 2023, there have been 26 UFC events in the UK. Shows have taken place in London, Liverpool, Glasgow, Belfast, Manchester, Nottingham, Birmingham, and Newcastle.

There would have been one more but for the cancellation of Tyron Woodley's scheduled fight against Leon Edwards in London in March 2020. The Covid pandemic put paid to that event.

When was the first UFC event in the UK?

The first time the UFC visited the UK was the 'Brawl in the Hall' at the capital's Royal Albert Hall in July 2002.

The event certainly proved a memorable one: Mark Weir knocked out Eugene Jackson in 10 seconds to score the quickest ever UFC knockout at the time, then home hero Ian Freeman beat previously undefeated American Frank Mir in the first round of their showdown.

Also on the card, Matt Hughes beat Carlos Newton to retain his welterweight title on a night that would go down in history as the UFC's first event in Europe.

When is the next UFC event in the UK?

The UFC returns to the UK on March 18, 2023, when Englishman Leon Edwards will look for a second successive win over Kamaru Usman at UFC 286.

Edwards will remain welterweight champion if he avoids the defeat he suffered in the first episode of his trilogy against Usman.

The event will return to the familiar UFC setting of the O2 Arena in London, with a sell-out crowd of more than 17,000 looking on.

MORE: UFC 286: Schedule, times, TV, tickets as Leon Edwards and Kamaru Usman lead MMA card in London

UFC London: How many MMA events has it held in the city?

Edwards' fight with Usman will be the 15th UFC event to take place in London and the fifth successive UK card by the promotion to be held in the city.

It will also be the third event in London in under a year. The most recent pitted Curtis Blaydes against Tom Aspinall in a headline fight which was called off when home fighter Aspinall suffered a freak knee injury during the first round.

UFC fight attendances in the UK: What's the record?

That fight night in July 2022 set the record for a UFC crowd in London, attracting 17,813 attendees – an increase on the 17,801 who watched Aspinall beat Volkov at the same venue the previous March.

A UK UFC event had drawn in more than 17,000 fans on one previous occasion, when Michael Bisping beat Yoshihiro Akiyama by decision at UFC 120 at the O2 Arena in 2010.

* event cancelled.