How LONG Are UFC Rounds?

The UFC is the most popular mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion company worldwide. But, do you know how long are UFC rounds? To get an in-depth answer to this question, you have to comprehensively understand the organization’s fights.

Some of the areas you need to explore are UFC background and UFC rules, among other aspects of the organization. So, let us dig deeper into UFC details and find an answer to our initial question. 

Rules

What Does UFC Stand for?

UFC stands for the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Its fighters use mixed martial arts fighting techniques. Winners of the championship earn a contracted base payment plus a bonus. Also, they can get sponsorship from various credible business organizations.

UFC prides itself in engaging the best MMA fighters in the world. As a result, some of its fighters appear on the Forbes list of the best-paid athletes. However, some of the listed grapplers earn more from sponsorship than UFC fights.

To contest for a UFC title, become a UFC member. UFC operates as an exclusive member club. So, it has to invite you for membership. However, you can apply to become a member, even though there is no guarantee that the organization will accept your proposal. 

How Long are UFC Rounds?

Standard UFC fights have three, five-minute rounds. On the other hand, title fights consist of five, five-minute rounds. So, for example, if a fighter taps to submit, a referee can stop a fight before time. The same applies when one fighter knocks out their opponent or when one combatant cannot defend themselves intelligently.

Sometimes, players can shorten the default UFC round time. For example, in EA SPORTS UFC 3, fighters can shorten fighting round time.

Who is the UFC’s Owner?

The Endeavor Group Holdings owns UFC through Zuffa, LLC, a subsidiary. Initially, the company was William Morris Endeavor Entertainment (WME). Endeavor is an U.S-based holding company. Its headquarter offices are in Beverly Hills, California.

The Endeavor Company started in 2009 after a merger between the William Morris Agency and Endeavor Talent Agency. Today, it is a talent and media agency. Its main clients are movies, music, television, digital media, theater, and publishing personalities.

Besides hosting the MMA championship, Endeavor also represents the National Football League (NFL) and the National Hockey League (NHL). The company also owns the Miss Universe beauty pageant and Endeavor Content, a television and film production company.

What is the UFC Octagon?

The Octagon is an eight-sided fenced-in mat. It is Zuffa’s trademark or trade dress. It is also a symbol of the high-quality mixed martial arts that the UFC brand hosts. The UFC events pioneered the eight-sided competition configuration. As a result, MMA lovers dubbed it the UFC Octagon.

Besides finding the UFC Octagon on the main events, you can find it in the UFC Performance Institute. Also, you can find it in gyms that operate under the UFC Franchise.

The UFC Octagon provides maximum safety to fighters that use it. It features a canvas, safety padding, and safety fence that the State Athletic Commission approves.

The fence of the UFC Octagon is robust plastic-coated. It prevents grapplers from getting out of the Octagon during a fight. Also, it prevents grapplers from cutting off the ring the way kickboxers and boxers do. The Octagon also prevents fighters from falling off the ring. Sometimes, a fall can cause unnecessary injuries.

The UFC Octagon is proof that the safety of fighters is paramount to the UFC. Whenever MMA fans see an Octagon, they perceive that the fight will have the quality and reputation of UFC fights.

MMA posing in the ring

Who Were the First UFC Fighters?

The pioneer UFC fighters shaped MMA to its current form. Those fighters used combat styles instead of the brutal street fight styles. They also made UFC and MMA grow in popularity. Some of these UFC first fighters are:

  • Guy Mezger was a star in UFC 13, even though he also fought in UFC 4 and UFC 5. He had won the UFC 13 light tournament after beating Tito Ortiz.
  • Oleg Taktarov: This Russian fighter used Judo and Sambo to win over his opponents. He holds the shortest submission time of nine seconds after making Anthony Macias tap during a UFC 6 fight.
  • Marco Ruas: This fighter combined grappling and fighting instead of sticking to one style. He is the brain behind Ruas Vale Tudo, a kickboxing and wrestling combination.
  • Gary Goodridge: This fighter was a UFC 8 finalist. He used knocks and strength to win over his opponents. Initially, he was an arm wrestler before joining MMA.
  • Don Frye: This fighter was quick to learn new techniques. He was famous for his fighting strikes and submissions and winning a UFC 8 fight. He was also a UFC 10 finalist.

When Did UFC Start?

UFC started in 1993. Art Davie and Rorion Gracie are the UFC founders. Initially, the company had the objective of identifying the best martial art with no weight classes and the fewest rules. However, the organization came up with its regulations later. Also, its fighters started combining fighting techniques from various martial art disciplines.

The Annual UFC Revenue

In 2019, UFC made a $900 million revenue. According to Dana White, UFC president, the company broke its revenue record in 2020. UFC financial analyst, Morgan Stanley, forecasted around $930 million in 2020. So, it is absolute that the company surpassed its 2019 revenue in 2021. For this reason, the company generates around $900 to $1 billion annual revenue.

What are the Different UFC Weight Classes?

UFC fighters operate according to their weight category. Fighters from different weight categories cannot fight each other. The following are the UFC weight classes:

Men Division

  • Heavyweight: Above 206 pounds (Above 92.7 kilograms)
  • Light Heavyweight: 205 pounds (92.25 kilograms)
  • Middleweight: 185 pounds (83.25 kilograms)
  • Welterweight: 170 pounds (76.5 kilograms)
  • Lightweight: 155 pounds (69.75 kilograms)
  • Featherweight: 145 pounds (65.5 kilograms)
  • Bantamweight: 135 pounds (60.75 kilograms)
  • Flyweight: 125 pounds (56.25 kilograms)

Women Division

  • Bantamweight: 135 pounds (60.75 kilograms)
  • Strawweight: 115 pounds (51.75 kilograms)

What are Some Winning UFC Strategies?

  • Sprawl-and-Brawl: This is a strategy that helps you remain standing on your feet. It keeps you sprawling to avoid takedowns or ground fighting.
  • Ground-and-Pound: If you want to take down your opponent on their back, dominate over them, and strike them, use the ground-and-pound strategy.
  • Submission-Seeking: This strategy makes your opponent tap. After taking your opponent on the ground using a throw or takedown, apply a submission hold to make them tap.
  • Clinch-Fighting: This strategy prevents your opponent get a striking window. It involves holding your opponent and then attempting a strike or takedown using your elbows, knees, punches, or stomps on your opponent.

How do you win in a UFC fight? You will have three judges evaluating you from different perspectives. Afterward, each will give you a score out of ten points in every round. You have to get ten points, and your opponent has to get less than ten points for you to win.

Some of the areas that judges focus on are grappling, striking, defense, aggressiveness, and stage/fighting area control. Also, judges give more weight to the place of the fight. For example, they focus more on grappling when fighters spend much of their fighting time on the ground.

Strategy

Ding Ding Ding!

Now you can fight to win. Remember, apply your winning strategies within the three or five minutes of each fighting round. It all depends on the nature of your UFC fight. So, hit the gym and practice managing your styles and strategies to fit in one fighting round.  

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