2023 in UFC | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Information | ||||
First date | January 14, 2023 | |||
Last date | December 16, 2023 | |||
Events | ||||
Total events | 43 | |||
UFC | 14 | |||
TUF Finale events | 1 | |||
Fights | ||||
Total fights | 520 | |||
Title fights | 21 | |||
Chronology | ||||
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The year 2023 was the 30th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
In April 2023, Endeavor Group Holdings announced that UFC would merge with the wrestling promotion WWE to form TKO Group Holdings, a new public company majority-owned by Endeavor, with Vince McMahon serving as an executive chairman of the new entity and White remaining as UFC president. The merger was completed on September 12, 2023. [1]
On August 9, 2023, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware decided to grant class action status to more than 1,200 former UFC fighters who competed between December 2010 and June 2017 who are suing upward of for 1.6 billions in wages that the lawsuit claims Zuffa had abused its power to suppress UFC fighters' wages, setting the stage on 8, April, 2024 trial. [2] [3]
On early February 2023, UFC introduced rules that banned athletes, coaches, and their close family from betting on UFC events. [4] after the call for a sports betting fraud investigation was made on a fight involving Darrick Minner a student of James Krause, who is a UFC coach and avid bettor, and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Lemos. The UFC was informed by sources that suspicious betting patterns had been observed on the fight. [5]
The UFC's partnership with USADA coming to an end in 2023, the UFC announced a new partnership with Drug Free Sport International, the same company that oversees the anti-doping programs of the NCAA, MLB, NFL, and NBA. [6] This partnership is set to begin in 2024, after their current contract with USADA expired on December 31, 2023. The UFC announced that former FBI agent George Piro would serve as the independent administrator of the UFC's anti-doping program. [6]
The numbers below records the events, fights, techniques and fighters held or performed for the year of 2020 in UFC. [7] [8] [9] [10]
Events | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Numbers | PPV | Continents | Countries | Cities | Fight Night Bonuses |
43 [11] | 14 | 4 | 8 [12] | 21 [13] | 189 Total $9.45 million [14] |
Longest Event | Shortest Event | Highest Income Live Gate | Lowest Income Live Gate | Highest Attendance | Lowest Attendance |
UFC 286 2:57:58 | UFC on ABC 4 1:31:36 | UFC 295 $12,432,563 | UFC Fight Night 221 $452,669.71 | UFC 290 19,204 | UFC Fight Night 221 (exclud. APEX evens) 2,361 |
Title Fights | |||||
Undisputed Title Fights | Title Changes | Champions Remained in Their Divisions | Number of Champions | Number of Interim Champions | Number of Title Defenses |
19 | 6 | 4 FW - Alexander Volkanovski LW - Islam Makhachev WW - Leon Edwards WSW -Zhang Weili | 16 | 2 FW - Yair Rodríguez HW - Tom Aspinal | 10 |
Fighters | |||||
Number of Fighters | UFC Debutants | Releases / Retired | Fighters Suspended | ||
(At the end of Dec 31, 2023) 606 | 125 | 102 | 20 |
These fighters have either been released from their UFC contracts, announced their retirement or joined other promotions:
The following fighters fought their first UFC fight in 2023:
The list below is based on fighters suspended either by (1) United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) or World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for violation of taking prohibited substances or non-analytical incidents, (2) by local commissions on misconduct during the fights or at event venues, or (3) by the UFC for reasons also stated below.
ISO | Name | Nickname | Division | From | Duration | Tested positive for / Info | By | Eligible to fight again | Ref. | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Carlos Felipe | Boi | Heavyweight | Oct 16, 2021 | 18 months | Boldenone and its metabolites | NSAC | Apr 16, 2023 | [147] | $4,200 fine and $489 in prosecution fees | |
Geraldo de Freitas | Spartan | Bantamweight | Jan 11, 2021 | 2 years | Exogenous administration of testosterone and/or its precursors | USADA | Jan 11, 2023 | [148] | ||
Raphael Pessoa | Bebezão | Heavyweight | Feb 9, 2021 | 2 years | 7-Keto-DHEA and AOD-9064 Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ) and its metabolites Chlorothiazide and 4-amino-6-chloro-1,3-benzenedisulfonamide (ACB) | USADA | Feb 9, 2023 | [149] | Second USADA violation. Results collected from out-of-competition on February 9, 2021, February 15, 2021, February 16, 2021, and March 4, 2021. Ressoa also evaded sample collection on January 25, 2021, and January 28, 2021. | |
Ashlee Evans-Smith | Rebel Girl | Women's Bantamweight | Jan 3, 2022 | 14 months | dehydroepiandrosterone | USADA | March 3, 2023 | [150] | ||
Elizeu Zaleski dos Santos | Capoeira | Welterweight | March 14, 2022 | 1 year | Ostarine | USADA | March 14, 2023 | [151] | ||
Hamdy Abdelwahab | The Hammer | Heavyweight | July 30, 2022 | 2 years | Metenolone and its metabolite | USADA | July 30, 2024 | [152] | ||
Carlos Mota | Tizil | Flyweight | December 15, 2022 | 2 years | Meldonium | NSAC | March 14, 2023 | [153] | Parted with UFC as of February 2023. [33] | |
Kyler Phillips | The Matrix | Bantamweight | January 22, 2023 | 6 months | Ostarine | NSAC | July 22, 2023 | [154] | $407.50 in attorney fees. | |
Darrius Flowers | Beast Mode | Welterweight | January 27, 2023 | 6 months | Ostarine | NSAC | July 27, 2023 | [154] | $407.50 in attorney fees. | |
Carlos Mota | Tizil | Flyweight | October 29, 2022 | 2 years | Meldonium | NSAC USADA | October 29, 2024 | [155] [156] | $2,400 fine and $448.25 in prosecution fees. Parted with UFC as of February 2023. [33] | |
Jeff Molina | El Jefe | Flyweight | November 5, 2022 | None | Linked to the investigation that began as a result of suspicious betting activity ahead of the Nov. 5 UFC fight between Darrick Minner | NYAC NSAC UFC | To be determined by NYAC and NSAC / temporary barred from UFC | [157] [158] [159] | ||
José Henrique Souza | Canela | Welterweight | March 8, 2023 | 2 years | 19-Norandrosterone and 19-Noretiocholanolone | USADA | March 8, 2025 | [160] | Parted with UFC as of Spring 2023. | |
Braxton Smith | The Beautiful Monster | Heavyweight | April 19, 2023 | 2 years | Exogenous testosterone and/or its precursors | USADA | April 19, 2025 | [161] | Parted with UFC as of June 2023. [30] | |
Cortney Casey | Cast Iron | Women's Flyweight | June 1, 2023 | 4 months | BPC-157(she reported herself to USADA in June 2023 for taking the prohibited substance BPC-157 to treat a medical condition.) | USADA | October 1, 2023 | [162] | ||
Ovince Saint Preux | OSP | Light Heavyweight | June 17, 2023 | 6 months | Dehydroandrosterone (From tainted supplements) | USADA | December 17, 2023 | [163] | ||
Felipe Bunes | Felipinho | Flyweight | June 17, 2023 | 6 months | GW501516 | NSAC | December 17, 2023 | [164] | $326 in legal fees | |
Walt Harris | The Big Ticket | Heavyweight | June 24, 2023 | 1 year | Drostanolone and its metabolites | NSAC | June 24, 2024 | [165] | ||
Mayra Bueno Silva | Sheetara | Women's Bantamweight | July 15, 2023 | 4.5 months | Ritalinic acid | NSAC | November 29, 2023 | [166] | $11,250 fine and $314.08 in prosecution fees. | |
Daniel Rodriguez | D-Rod | Welterweight | July 28, 2023 | 6 months | Ostarine; LGD-4033 and its metabolites | NSAC | January 28, 2024 | [165] | ||
Miles Johns | Chopo | Bantamweight | September 23, 2023 | 4 1/2 months | Turinabol | NSAC | February 6, 2024 | [167] | $2,300 fine $157.04 in prosecution fees. | |
The following The Ultimate Fighter seasons are scheduled for broadcast in 2023:
Season | Division | Winner | Runner-up | Ref |
---|---|---|---|---|
The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team Chandler | Lightweight | Kurt Holobaugh | Austin Hubbard | [169] |
Bantamweight | Brad Katona | Cody Gibson | [170] |
Title fights in 2023 | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Weight class | Method | Round | Time | Event | Notes | |||
Flyweight | Brandon Moreno (ic) | def. | Deiveson Figueiredo (c) | TKO (doctor stoppage) | 3 | 5:00 | UFC 283 | [lower-alpha 1] |
Light Heavyweight | Jamahal Hill | def. | Glover Teixeira | Decision (unanimous) (50–44, 50–44, 50–44) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 283 | [lower-alpha 2] |
Featherweight | Yair Rodríguez | def. | Josh Emmett | Submission (triangle choke) | 2 | 4:19 | UFC 284 | [lower-alpha 3] |
Lightweight | Islam Makhachev (c) | def. | Alexander Volkanovski | Decision (unanimous) (48–47, 48–47, 49–46) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 284 | [lower-alpha 4] |
Women's Flyweight | Alexa Grasso | def. | Valentina Shevchenko (c) | Submission (face crank) | 4 | 4:34 | UFC 285 | [lower-alpha 5] |
Heavyweight | Jon Jones | def. | Ciryl Gane | Submission (guillotine choke) | 1 | 2:04 | UFC 285 | [lower-alpha 6] |
Welterweight | Leon Edwards (c) | def. | Kamaru Usman | Decision (majority) (48–46, 48–46, 47–47) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 286 | [lower-alpha 7] |
Middleweight | Israel Adesanya | def. | Alex Pereira (c) | KO (punches) | 2 | 4:21 | UFC 287 | [lower-alpha 8] |
Bantamweight | Aljamain Sterling (c) | def. | Henry Cejudo | Decision (split) (47–48, 48–47, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 288 | [lower-alpha 9] |
Women's Bantamweight | Amanda Nunes (c) | def. | Irene Aldana | Decision (unanimous) (50–44, 50–44, 50–43) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 289 | [lower-alpha 10] |
Flyweight | Alexandre Pantoja | def. | Brandon Moreno (c) | Decision (split) (46–49, 48–47, 48–47) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 290 | [lower-alpha 11] |
Featherweight | Alexander Volkanovski (c) | def. | Yair Rodríguez (ic) | TKO (punches) | 3 | 4:19 | UFC 290 | [lower-alpha 12] |
Women's Strawweight | Zhang Weili (c) | def. | Amanda Lemos | Decision (unanimous) (50–43, 50–44, 49–45) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 292 | [lower-alpha 13] |
Bantamweight | Sean O'Malley | def. | Aljamain Sterling (c) | TKO (punches) | 2 | 0:51 | UFC 292 | [lower-alpha 14] |
Middleweight | Sean Strickland | def. | Israel Adesanya (c) | Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 49–46) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 293 | [lower-alpha 15] |
Women's Flyweight | Alexa Grasso (c) | vs. | Valentina Shevchenko | Draw (split) (48–47, 47–48, 47–47) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC Fight Night 227 | [lower-alpha 16] |
Lightweight | Islam Makhachev (c) | def. | Alexander Volkanovski | KO (head kick and punches) | 1 | 3:06 | UFC 294 | [lower-alpha 17] |
Heavyweight | Tom Aspinall | def. | Sergei Pavlovich | KO (punches) | 1 | 1:09 | UFC 295 | [lower-alpha 18] |
Light Heavyweight | Alex Pereira | def. | Jiří Procházka | TKO (elbows) | 2 | 4:08 | UFC 295 | [lower-alpha 19] |
Flyweight | Alexandre Pantoja (c) | def. | Brandon Royval | Decision (unanimous) (50–45, 50–45, 49–46) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 296 | [lower-alpha 20] |
Welterweight | Leon Edwards (c) | def. | Colby Covington | Decision (unanimous) (49–46, 49–46, 49–46) | 5 | 5:00 | UFC 296 | [lower-alpha 21] |
Anthony Smith is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2008, Smith has also formerly competed for Strikeforce and Bellator. As of December 12, 2023, he is #10 in the UFC light heavyweight rankings.
Raquel Pennington is an American professional mixed martial artist who competes in the women's bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where she is the current UFC Women's Bantamweight Champion. As of January 23, 2024, she is #7 in the UFC women's pound-for-pound rankings.
Derrick Lewis is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Heavyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he currently holds the record for most knockouts in UFC history. A professional competitor since 2010, Lewis has also competed for Bellator MMA and Legacy FC, where he was the Heavyweight Champion. As of July 25, 2023, he is #10 in the UFC heavyweight rankings.
Cory Sandhagen is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2015, Sandhagen has also competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance. As of May 9, 2023, he is #4 in the UFC bantamweight rankings.
Jonathan Martinez is an American professional mixed martial artist. Martinez currently competes in the bantamweight division for the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of February 6, 2024, he is #10 in the UFC bantamweight rankings.
Trevin Giles is an American mixed martial artist (MMA). Giles currently competes in the welterweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
The year 2020 was the 28th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
Mario Bautista is an American mixed martial artist. He is currently competing in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As of January 16, 2024, he is #14 in the UFC bantamweight rankings.
Raulian Paiva Frazão is a Brazilian mixed martial artist who competed in the Bantamweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Casey Kenney is an American mixed martial artist. He is currently competing in the Bantamweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) and he was the former Tachi Palace Fights Flyweight champion and Legacy Fighting Alliance Flyweight and Bantamweight champion.
Brandon Royval is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Flyweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). A professional competitor since 2012, Royval has also formerly competed for Legacy Fighting Alliance, where he is a former Legacy Fighting Alliance Flyweight Champion. As of December 19, 2023, he is #3 in the UFC flyweight rankings.
Youssef Zalal is a Moroccan mixed martial artist who competed in the Featherweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The year 2021 was the 28th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
Jamahal Hill is an American professional mixed martial artist. He currently competes in the Light Heavyweight division of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), where he is the former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion. As of November 14, 2023, he is #1 in the UFC light heavyweight rankings.
The year 2022 was the 29th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. Spivak was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on February 4, 2023, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.
UFC Fight Night: Andrade vs. Blanchfield was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on February 18, 2023, at the UFC Apex facility in Enterprise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.
UFC 285: Jones vs. Gane was a mixed martial arts event produced by the Ultimate Fighting Championship that took place on March 4, 2023, at the T-Mobile Arena in Paradise, Nevada, part of the Las Vegas Metropolitan Area, United States.
The year 2024 is the 31st year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.