How to Watch UFC: Live Stream From Anywhere in 2025
Being the world’s premier MMA promotion, UFC has assembled a galaxy of superstars. This has resulted in more intense competition among fighters, guaranteeing plenty of exciting fights for MMA fans. Read on to learn how to watch UFC online so you don't miss any action.
Written by Samson Kiarie (Writer)
Reviewed by Aleksandar Kochovski (Writer)
Facts checked by Jasna Mishevska (Lead Fact-Checking Editor)
Last Updated:
All our content is written fully by humans; we do not publish AI writing. Learn more here.
Key Takeaways: How to Watch UFC Live Stream
- Go to nordvpn.com and get a 72% discounted plan risk-free.
- Install the VPN app and connect to a U.S. server.
- Subscribe to ESPN+ and start streaming the UFC.
Best VPNs for Streaming the UFC Live:
- NordVPN — Secure, swift and packed with advanced features. A 72% discount is available for users who choose NordVPN’s extended subscription options.
- Surfshark — Connect all your devices without breaking the bank. New Surfshark subscribers get up to 66% (plus 3 months free) reduced rates on long-term commitments.
- ExpressVPN — Top-notch VPN that anyone can use. Explore ExpressVPN’s features with a 30-day return policy, and grab extended plans at a 25% discount.
What to Know About Live-Streaming the UFC:
- Where to watch: UFC Fight Nights are available on ESPN+. Outside the U.S., you can watch Fight Nights on Foxtel TV and Kayo (Australia), TNT Sports (UK), Mola.tv (Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia) and Sony Sports (India).
- Paid events: UFC PPV events are exclusively available on ESPN+ and are much more expensive than Fight Nights.
- Bypassing blocks: If you’re traveling abroad or are in a country without UFC livestream options, you’ll need a VPN to watch UFC live events. NordVPN is the best VPN for UFC streaming, thanks to its fast speeds and unmatched unblocking ability.
There’s no denying that the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is the world’s biggest MMA promotion. Today, UFC is synonymous with high-caliber fights, pitting superstars such as Alex Pereira and Magomed Ankalaev, to name a few, against each other. Despite the popularity of the promotion, UFC live stream options are few and far between.
If you’re an ardent UFC fan looking to ditch cable or satellite TV, we’ve got you covered. In this guide, we’ll show you how to watch UFC online from anywhere. However, because of strict geo-restrictions, UFC streaming sites might be blocked in your location. That’s not to mean they’re inaccessible — far from it.
All of the UFC live stream options are accessible using a VPN service. We tested many VPNs with the UFC streaming options, and three services came out on top (read our best VPN roundup if you’re curious for more). Read on to find out which VPN services work seamlessly with your favorite UFC streaming service.
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09/06/2021
Changed the format of the article and updated streaming information.
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09/07/2022
Updated Windscribe pricing: the paid plan increased to $5.75 per month from $4.08. The Build-a-Plan minimum purchase also increased to $3 from $2. Also updated Windscribe’s free data cap to 15GB due to it offering 5GB extra permanently when you tweet about the service.
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06/18/2023 Facts checked
We rewrote this guide on how to watch UFC fights, including step-by-step instructions.
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10/01/2024
We verified the steps and updated the ranking to reflect current VPN performance, features and pricing.
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03/20/2025 Facts checked
We refreshed the article to include up-to-date information on streaming UFC events and to reflect new NordVPN features. We also updated the pricing information for UFC streaming services.
Where to Watch UFC Streams
Let’s discuss the available streaming options before we show you how to watch UFC online with a VPN.
The UFC and ESPN signed a deal in 2018 that saw ESPN snatch the rights to broadcast UFC from FOX. In the spring of the same year, ESPN launched its premium streaming platform — ESPN+ — giving UFC cord-cutters a reason to smile. As it stands, ESPN+ is the go-to platform for UFC live streaming.
However, UFC has two categories of live events: UFC Fight Nights and pay-per-view events (also known as numbered events). Each category features prelims, which are curtain-raisers to the main event. Let’s delve into the details of the two categories.
Where to Watch UFC Fight Night
UFC Fight Nights are the low-tier events of the UFC; hence, they’re more affordable. While Fight Nights feature up-and-coming talents, the fighters are driven by the intense desire to break into the top-tier UFC category. As a result, the fights are thrilling and should be on any UFC fan’s watchlist.
Luckily, UFC Fight Night subscription packages are pocket-friendly. To watch UFC Fight Night, you need an ESPN+ regular subscription, which costs $11.99 per month or $119.99 per year and lets you watch all four monthly Fight Nights. In addition, you’ll gain access to on-demand UFC content, including fight replays, Dana White’s Contender Series, fighter interviews and other original content.
Besides a regular ESPN+ subscription, you can watch UFC Fight Nights with the Disney bundle. Pricing starts from $16.99 for packages including ESPN+ and is the best bet for MMA fans looking to supplement the UFC fight thrill with movies on Disney+ and Hulu. Read our guide on where and how to watch UFC Fight Night.
Other options to watch UFC Fight Night online include:
| Country | Streaming Service |
|---|---|
| 🇬🇧 U.K. | BT Sport |
| 🇦🇺 Australia | Foxtel TV (Foxtel Go app) Kayo* |
| 🇮🇳 India | Sony Sports |
| 🌍 Africa | Supersport (on DSTV) |
| Singapore, Malaysia, Indonesia | Mola.tv |
Where to Watch UFC Pay-Per-View (PPV) Events
The PPV events feature division champions and other A-listers on the UFC roster. Each PPV event is headlined by one championship bout, but it’s not uncommon to have another title fight as a co-main event. In addition to the title bouts, PPV fight cards include early prelims and prelims, which feature high-caliber fights, too.
The pay-per-view events are UFC’s cash cow — they generate staggering amounts of money through subscribership and sponsorship deals. It’s a boon for the fighters because they get to earn lucrative deals. Sadly for the fans, PPV subscriptions are pricey.
The basic ESPN+ subscription doesn’t cut it for UFC PPV events. Besides the regular subscription, you’ll have to cough up an extra $79.99 when a PPV event rolls around.
Thankfully, when you subscribe to the annual ESPN+ PPV package for $134.98, you get to watch the upcoming UFC PPV for free. Just bear in mind that the ESPN+ PPV package only allows you to watch one PPV event.
Another thing to note is that the PPV main events (championship bouts) are exclusively available on ESPN+. Prelims are also available via ESPN+, but also ESPN and ESPNEWS. However, you can get the UFC Fight Pass for $9.99 per month or $95.99 per year to watch UFC early prelims on the UFC app or website.
Do International Streaming Services Have UFC PPV Events?
Some international streaming services like TNT Sports in the UK include PPV events via TNT Sports Box Office. You can purchase PPV viewing even if you aren’t subscribed to TNT Sports, but viewing is geoblocked to the U.K. and Republic of Ireland. If you go outside the U.K., you’ll need a VPN to watch the event you purchased.
How to Watch UFC: Live Stream UFC Fights With a VPN
UFC live stream options are hard to come by, and the few that are available are geo-restricted. For example, ESPN+ isn’t available outside the U.S. This means that if you’re traveling abroad or are not a U.S. resident, you’ll need a VPN to access the streaming service.
In addition, UFC’s international broadcasting rights vary by region, with exclusive deals limiting where certain fights can be legally streamed, which is why a VPN service is essential for global UFC fans.
A VPN also helps you bypass UFC blackout restrictions that might prevent you from watching certain fights in your region, even with a valid subscription. In this guide, we’ll show you how to watch UFC on ESPN+ using NordVPN — the best VPN for live sports streaming.
- Download and Install a VPN App
Subscribe to a VPN with servers in the U.S., such as NordVPN it’s two-year plan is the cheapest. Download and install the VPN app on your device. If you want to stream UFC on your ESPN+ or UFC app, install the app from Google Play or Apple’s app store.
- Connect to a US Server
Launch the NordVPN app and complete the setup. Connect to a U.S. server and do a DNS leak test to confirm you got the appropriate IP address.
- Subscribe to ESPN Plus
Go to the ESPN+ website and create an account. While ESPN billing requires a U.S. card, the option to pay via PayPal will work for UFC fans outside the U.S.
- Watch UFC Without Interruption
You’re now set. Go to the ESPN+ login page and log in to watch UFC Fight Nights, PPV events and on-demand content. Remember that you’ll need to pay extra for PPV events.
UFC Free Stream: MMA Streams for Free
Sadly for UFC fans on a tight budget, options to watch UFC for free are scanty. The go-to streaming channel — ESPN+ — doesn’t offer a free trial or free plan. This means you can’t stream UFC PPV events for free.
However, you can access other UFC live events for free using free trials on streaming services that carry ESPN and ESPN2. For example, fuboTV and YouTube TV carry ESPN channels and offer a seven-day and five-day free trial, respectively. Still, you can only watch select UFC fights on ESPN and ESPN2.
YouTube TV offers a generous 10-day free trial, which gives you enough time to potentially watch two UFC Fight Nights for free before making a commitment to subscribe.
Following UFC’s official social media accounts on Twitter, Instagram and YouTube provides free access to fight highlights, pre-fight interviews and occasional free preliminary bouts. We even found some full fights on the YouTube UFC channel.
UFC 314 Main Card
April’s blockbuster UFC 314 in Miami features Alexander Volkanovski taking on Diego Lopes, followed by the compelling UFC 315 in May, headlined by Belal Muhammad facing Jack Della Maddalena for welterweight supremacy in Montreal. For MMA enthusiasts seeking championship-caliber fights, 2025 is delivering an exceptional lineup worth streaming in HD.
Other events on the 314 fight card include:
UFC 314 Main Event (Available on ESPN+)
| Category: | Fighters: |
|---|---|
| Lightweight | Michael Chandler vs. Paddy Pimblett |
| Featherweight | Bryce Mitchell vs. Jean Silva |
| Welterweight | Geoff Neal vs. Carlos Prates |
| Featherweight | Yair Rodriguez vs. Patrício Pitbull |
UFC 314 Prelims (Available on ESPN+ & Disney+)
| Category: | Fighters: |
|---|---|
| Light Heavyweight | Nikita Krylov vs. Dominick Reyes |
| Featherweight | Dan Ige vs. Sean Woodson |
| Women’s Strawweight | Yan Xianan vs. Virna Jandiroba |
| Lightweight | Jim Miller vs. Chase Hooper |
UFC 289 Early Prelims (Available on UFC Fight Pass)
| Category: | Fighters: |
|---|---|
| Middleweight | Sedriques Dumas vs. Michał Oleksiejczuk |
| Featherweight | Darren Elkins vs. Julian Erosa |
| Flyweight | Su Mudaerji vs. Mitch Raposo |
| Featherweight | Alberto Montes vs. Roberto Romero |
| Middleweight | Tresean Gore vs. Marco Tulio |
| Women’s Bantamweight | Nora Cornolle vs. Hailey Cowan |
Recent Events & More Upcoming Events
The UFC’s 2025 calendar is heating up with monumental clashes featuring the sport’s biggest stars. The recently concluded UFC 313 saw Magomed Ankalaev from Russia take the Light Heavyweight gold while Amanda Lemos defeated Iasmin Lucindo in the women’s Strawweight event.
Looking ahead, fans can also look forward to upcoming events like UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs Brady, scheduled for March 22, 2025 at 4:00 PM ET. On the same date, former light heavyweight champion Jan Błachowicz returns against Carlos Ulberg.
Best VPNs for UFC
A VPN is indispensable for a great UFC live streaming experience, especially if you’re traveling abroad or are in a country without UFC live streams. As mentioned, we tested numerous VPNs and narrowed the options to three services.
All three recommended VPNs have exceptional unblocking capabilities specifically tested with ESPN+ and other UFC streaming platforms, ensuring you can access content regardless of geographical restrictions. We’ll reveal the strengths of each VPN, starting with NordVPN — the best VPN for streaming.
1. NordVPN — Best VPN for UFC Live Streams
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NordVPN is the best VPN for streaming the UFC. As the fastest VPN around, — aided by its NordLynx protocol — you’ll enjoy interruption-free UFC streaming.
NordVPN’s overall unblocking ability is excellent. During our testing, the service accessed UFC streaming platforms without struggle. NordVPN’s SmartDNS feature allows you to stream UFC on devices that don’t natively support VPN apps, such as smart TVs and gaming consoles.
As for recently added features, the service has introduced NordWhisper, a breakthrough VPN protocol designed to make your VPN connection undetectable on networks that normally restrict VPN usage. This adds to its value for streaming UFC fights in regions where VPN use might be monitored or blocked.
What’s more, NordVPN’s browser extensions now include location spoofing that not only changes your IP address but also matches your browser’s location and time zone settings to your selected server location, making it trickier for streaming services to spot VPN usage.
NordVPN’s monthly plan is on the higher side of the VPN pricing spectrum. Thankfully, extended plans offer a significant discount, making NordVPN the best cheap VPN. Learn more about the VPN’s capability in our comprehensive NordVPN review.
- **VAT may apply
- Unlimited GB
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- *The prices are charged in the first billing cycle only. Renewal prices vary.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- *The prices are shown only apply for the first 12 months.
- Unlimited GB
- 10
- Yes
- **The prices are applicable only for the first 24 months. Secure, high-speed VPN Threat Protection Pro™: Anti-malware and advanced browsing protection Threat Protection Pro™: Ad and tracker blocker Password manager with Data Breach Scanner 1 TB of encrypted cloud storage Identity and SSN monitoring and alerts Credit monitoring services Up to $1M in identity theft insurance Up to $100K in cyber extortion insurance
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2. Surfshark — Best Cheap VPN for UFC Streaming
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Surfshark is an excellent budget alternative to NordVPN. It offers nearly equivalent speeds, ad blocking, and can access most streaming platforms without a hitch. That said, NordVPN offers more advanced features on its base plan, which Surfshark makes exclusive to its more expensive plans. Still, if you only need to access the basic features for streaming UFC fights, Surfshark is a great choice.
A big bonus: Surfshark’s unlimited simultaneous connections mean your entire household can stream different UFC fights on various devices without paying extra.
At just $2.19 per month on a two-year subscription, Surfshark is among the cheapest VPNs that still pack a punch. Plus, you can rely on its monthlong refund window in case you want out. Read our full Surfshark review for more details.
- Unlimited GB bandwidth, Unlimited devices, Secure VPN, Ad blocker, Cookie pop-up blocker. Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
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- Everything in Starter, plus Antivirus protection, Identity protection, Email Breach and Credit Card Alerts, Online Alias Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
- Everything in One, plus Data removal Pricing for the annual and biennial plans only apply for the first payment. Renewal fees vary.
- Unlimited GB
- Unlimited
3. ExpressVPN — Best Easy-to-Use VPN for UFC Streaming
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ExpressVPN packs a wealth of features into a sleek, user-friendly package. It’s fast enough for lag-free streaming, highly secure, blocks ads, and can access ESPN easily. To top it all off, it only takes a single click to connect to a server and get to streaming UFC fights.
Unfortunately, ExpressVPN is also more expensive than most other VPNs. At $6.66 per month on its cheapest plan, you might find it to be just outside your budget. Then again, you can always rely on its 30-day money-back guarantee in case you get cold feet after purchasing. Our full ExpressVPN review goes in-depth on the service.
- Pricing for the annual and biennial plans applies only on the first year.
- Unlimited GB
- 8
- Yes
Best Free VPN for Live-Streaming the UFC: PrivadoVPN
PrivadoVPN ticks all the basic boxes when it comes to streaming UFC fights for free: It’s fast, reliable and can unblock ESPN and its various sister channels. However, free users are limited to just 12 server locations across nine countries (the U.S. is included, thankfully), and you only get a 10GB monthly data allowance.
If you choose to go for a paid plan, your best choice is the two-year subscription, which costs $1.11 per month and gives you access to ad and malware blocking, as well as adult site and social media filtering. Paid plans come with a 30-day money-back guarantee for added peace of mind. Read our full PrivadoVPN review for more info.
- 10GB
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- Unlimited GB
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Extra Tips for Streaming UFC Fights With a VPN
- When selecting a U.S. server, consider choosing a location that’s less crowded for better streaming speeds. NordVPN, for example, offers 16 different U.S. server locations, giving you plenty of options if you encounter speed issues or regional blackouts.
- VPNs with obfuscated servers are particularly useful if you’re trying to stream UFC events on restrictive networks like those at schools, workplaces, or in countries with heavy internet censorship.
- After connecting to a U.S. server, it’s good practice to perform a DNS leak test (visit dnsleaktest.com) to confirm you’ve actually received the appropriate IP address. This extra step ensures your connection is properly masked before attempting to access geo-restricted UFC content.
- When streaming live UFC events, low latency is just as important as fast download speeds. Lower latency means less delay between the actual fight and what you’re seeing on screen, which is crucial for enjoying live sports without frustrating lag or delay.
Final Thoughts
Now you know where and how to watch UFC live events. While some UFC live stream platforms may be inaccessible in your location, a reliable VPN can quickly remedy that.
NordVPN is the best VPN for UFC live streaming thanks to its unmatched unblocking ability and fast speeds. With NordVPN’s risk-free 30-day refund period, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain by giving the service a try. Surfshark is a cheaper option and ideal for MMA fans on a tighter budget.
Did you watch Sterling vs Cejudo and other fights in UFC 288? Which streaming platform did you use? Did you use a VPN to access that streaming platform? Which VPN service did your use? We’d like to hear about it in the comment section. As always, thanks for reading.
FAQ: Watch UFC Anywhere
To watch UFC fights for free, sign up for a fuboTV or YouTube TV free trial and check the available UFC fights on ESPN or ESPN2.
No, Amazon Prime Video doesn’t carry UFC live events or on-demand content.
You can watch MMA streams for free on Sportsurge. However, free MMA streaming sites may jeopardize your online security and privacy. Therefore, we recommend using a reputable VPN when streaming on these sites.
ESPN+ explains that an active ESPN+ subscription is necessary to buy UFC PPV events.