While UFC fans in the United States have to pay top-dollar pay-per-view fees for main events ($70 and an ESPN+ subscription), in Japan they can watch them with a UFC Fight Pass subscription. A monthly Fight Pass subscription in Japan is around $20 per month.
Want to live stream UFC main events for a huge discount and skip the PPV? You don’t have to be particularly tech-savvy, just follow this step-by-step guide:
- Get yourself a good VPN. For live streaming the UFC through Japanese Fight Pass, we recommend ExpressVPN. It’s the only service that managed to bypass VPN blockades on the website.
- Sign up and register for an account.
- Download the VPN software onto the device you want to live stream UFC fights on.
- Log in with the credentials you created at sign up.
- Connect to a server in Japan. Make sure the VPN stays connected and is running.
- Navigate to the UFC Fight Pass website. You’ll see the UFC live event you’re trying to watch and can thumb through a variety of older fights.
- Find the UFC event you want to watch and enjoy the live stream!
ExpressVPN
If you want a full breakdown of how a VPN can help you catch the latest UFC action, make sure to keep reading below. We’ve also rounded up some free live streams of UFC if you want to take that route.
If you’re an MMA junkie, chances are you’ve spent some time searching for free live streams of UFC main events. In the United States, pay-per-view runs about $70 per event — which can add up quickly if you’re trying to watch all your favorite stars and key championship bouts.
Sometimes you can hunt down free MMA streams on Reddit, or you can find links on unofficial, free sports streaming sites. However, a lot of these streams can be illegal, and these sites and links are known to be insecure.
That’s why we recommend paying for UFC events. In this guide, we’ll show you a way to watch all UFC pay-per-view main events at an insane discount — around $21 a month. All you’ll need is a VPN, and to set up an international UFC Fight Pass subscription.
But if that’s not an option for you, don’t worry. We’ll also show you plenty of ways fight fans watch PPV fights for free too. You’ll just need that VPN for security and privacy. Keep reading below and we’ll break it down for you, round-by-round.
How Fans Watch UFC Main Events for Free
The UFC has an exclusive five-year deal to show all of its pay-per-view events through ESPN+ in the United States. Considering that the UFC has a PPV event almost every month, let’s say there are around 12 PPV main events a year. If you paid for every single one, that would be $840 alone, before taxes and ESPN+ subscription fees.
Since this is out of a lot of fans’ budgets, we’ll show you the two main ways that people watch UFC main events for free.
1. Watching UFC PPV events for free outside the United States
UFC’s PPV agreement with ESPN+ is only in the United States. The UFC cuts all kinds of international deals around the globe to expand into other markets, so a good many fight fans outside the US can watch main events without the $70 PPV fee.
For example, in Poland, the Polsat Sport channel has all the main events included at no extra cost. Similarly, the Combate channel picks up the UFC in Brazil, and Wink in Russia. But these are traditional cable television providers with foreign-language commentary.
Another interesting licensing deal is the UFC’s own streaming service, Fight Pass. In the US, Fight Pass only shows limited live events, past fights, and original programming. But in Japan and Australia, they include live streams of UFC PPV main events with the subscription. We’ll show you how to sign up and watch all the main events at a huge discount in the next section.
2. Watching UFC main events on unofficial streaming sites
The second way is to use an unofficial stream. There are plenty of free sports streaming sites out there, but only a few focus on combat sports.
For example, the free, but unlicensed Rojadirecta site offers links to free streams of different sports like boxing, football, and of course, the UFC. They’re usually in English, so you’ll still enjoy Joe Rogan and Jon Anik’s commentary while watching your favorite bouts.
But just remember that Rojadirecta is an unofficial site. They share UFC content but don’t necessarily have a license for it. Therefore, we don’t recommend you access it if this is considered illegal in your country. If you do decide to use it and want to watch a UFC fight tonight live for free, at least make sure your system is protected by using a VPN. Free sports streaming sites are known to be insecure.
How to Watch PPV Events at a Big Discount with Fight Pass
If you don’t want to risk using an unofficial stream, you can still watch your favorite bouts at a discount by getting a Japanese UFC Fight Pass subscription.
The Fight Pass subscription will cost you $21.50/month in Japan, which is much less than the $70 per event that most Americans will have to pay otherwise. With Fight Pass in Japan, you’re getting access to all live PPV events through the site. Plus the entire library of past fights and original programming.
Here’s how you can get Fight Pass to work for you, no matter where you are in the world:
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- Choose a good VPN and sign up for an account. Our pick is ExpressVPN. Some websites flag known VPN IP addresses. Out of all the VPNs we tested it, ExpressVPN was the only provider able to bypass Fight Pass blocks.
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ExpressVPNDeal Get the annual subscription for only $6.67 per month!From$ 6.678.9- Very easy-to-use VPN
- Perfect for anonymous browsing, downloading, and streaming (i.e., Netflix)
- 3,000+ servers in 94 countries
- Download the ExpressVPN software to the device you want to watch UFC on. ExpressVPN works on laptops, smartphones, and other mobile devices.
- Log in using the password and username you created at registration.
- Connect to a server in Japan. Make sure to keep the VPN connected and running.
- Subscribe to Fight Pass by going to their website and clicking “Sign up” in the top right corner. You can use a credit card or PayPal to purchase the subscription. Your home billing address will work.
- Upcoming fights will be featured on the home screen. Simply click the fight you want to watch, and enjoy!
Watching the UFC for Free or at a Discount: How Do VPNs Work?
When it comes to unblocking international content, a VPN changes your IP address. When you use the internet, your internet service provider (ISP) assigns you an IP address from one of their local servers. You can think about it like your home or work address, only online.
Because of this digital marker, websites and platforms can recognize your location. For example, an American IP address might look like 193.0.44.157. This is how the Fight Pass site knows you’re not in Japan and does not display their PPV fight stream.
But when you connect to a VPN server, that server can give your device an IP address from whatever country you want. So when you’re accessing a live stream of UFC events with a VPN, the website thinks your device is in Japan. Since ExpressVPN has thousands of servers located in 94 countries around the globe, you can perform this same trick in most any country of your choice.
VPNs let you get around geographical roadblocks, but they also protect your online privacy. The new IP is anonymous and masks your online identity. In short, unblocking UFC events is just the tip of the iceberg when we talk about the advantages of a VPN.
Which VPN Provider Should I Choose to Watch UFC?
We’ve recommended ExpressVPN for live streaming UFC because it’s the only service that was able to unblock access to Japanese Fight Pass to get such a massive discount on pay-per-view events. It also meets the requirements that you need in a VPN. Those features are:
- Fast and stable servers: When you’re live streaming sports, you’re going to need strong connections and speeds. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a championship bout and having your connection drop. When your live stream starts buffering and pixelating, that can be frustrating as well. ExpressVPN has an excellent reputation when it comes to providing fast and steady servers.
- Unlimited data, traffic, and bandwidth: In order to watch a full UFC main card, you’ll need unlimited amounts of data to get from start to finish. With ExpressVPN, you get unlimited bandwidth along with your limitless high speeds. That way you can watch your entire UFC fight tonight live, for free with no interruptions.
- Servers located in Japan or Australia: To access Fight Pass’s less expensive stream, you’ll need to have a VPN with servers in Australia or Japan. ExpressVPN has very reliable servers in major cities in both countries.
- Dedicated IP addresses and obfuscated servers: Many platforms and services try to block VPN servers for the exact licensing reasons we discussed earlier. Simply put, ExpressVPN’s dedicated IP addresses and obfuscated servers make it extremely difficult for websites to figure out if the server is from a VPN provider or a local internet provider. So while Fight Pass is blocking VPNs, you’ll be prepared to go in with ExpressVPN.
If this sounds good to you and you’d like to start watching UFC, either through Fight Pass or through another stream you’ve found, make sure to get ExpressVPN by clicking the button below. Keep in mind that you can use ExpressVPN’s 30-day money-back guarantee in order to try it out for free!
Where Can I Watch UFC Main Events?
The UFC has become a popular sport globally and is broadcast all over the world. Luckily, not all broadcasts require fans to cough up hefty pay-per-view fees. We’ve listed some of the different channels and streams that carry UFC events in different countries below. Unfortunately, these kinds of services usually require local forms of payment or contracts to view.
If you already have a subscription to one of these providers, though, you can simply match your VPN server to the country to access your account and unblock UFC streams.
| Country | Provider | PPV? |
|---|---|---|
| Brazil | Combate | No |
| Canada | TSN | No |
| Indonesia | Mola.tv | No |
| India | SonyLIV | No |
| Poland | Polsat Sport | No |
| Australia | Foxtel Main Event | Yes |
| United Kingdom | BT Sport Box Office | Yes |
| United States | ESPN+ | Yes |
Other VPN Options to Watch the UFC
We can only recommend ExpressVPN for watching the UFC with a huge discount through Japanese Fight Pass. ExpressVPN’s servers were the only ones that successfully bypassed VPN blockades on the site.
However, if you’re looking to unblock UFC fights abroad (through ESPN+ or any of the examples above) there are other great VPN providers out there capable of handling this.
If you decide to explore unlicensed, unofficial sports streams, you’ll also need a VPN with high-level encryption and security protocols. Want to try some out? We can recommend the VPNs below for their general unblocking capabilities and security and privacy features.
1. Surfshark: A top sports streaming VPN
Surfshark is a great VPN provider. The service has many servers in the United States, Europe and Asia and is known for its fast connections. These features make this provider perfect for UFC fans that want to unblock their home services. Surfshark opens the gates to more online freedom, and its software and apps are incredibly easy to use, so beginners can jump right into the world of VPNs with ease.
You can try out Surfshark with its 30-day money-back guarantee. This way, you can see if their service works for you, without committing to a long-term subscription straight away.
- Very user-friendly and works with Netflix and torrents
- 30-day money-back guarantee. No questions asked!
- Cheap with many extra options
2. CyberGhost: A great VPN for enjoying UFC
If user-friendliness is what you value most in a piece of software or app, we recommend CyberGhost. This world-renowned VPN is, apart from its extensive server network, very well-known for its user-friendly interface, website, and very helpful customer support team. As such, CyberGhost lends itself especially well to first-time VPN users.
3. Private Internet Access (PIA): A veteran VPN for watching UFC
If you’re looking to save some money (which is probably the case, since you’re reading this article), you might like Private Internet Access (PIA). PIA is a high-quality VPN provider that offers great value. At only $2.19 a month for a three-year subscription, it is one of the cheapest high-quality VPN providers out there. It’s also been around for some time, and has a large network of reliable and fast servers, with thousands of options available.
Upcoming UFC Fights
Though the schedule and fighters are subject to change, here’s what’s up on UFC’s schedule. PPV events are noted in bold.
- UFC 276: Adesanya vs. Cannonier on Saturday, July 2, 2022
- UFC Fight Night: Dos Anjos vs. Fiziev on Saturday, July 9, 2022
- UFC Fight Night: Ortega vs. Rodriguez on Saturday, July 16, 2022
- UFC Fight Night: Blaydes vs. Aspinall on Saturday, July 23, 2022
- UFC 277: Pena vs. Nunes on Saturday, July 30, 2022
- UFC Fight Night: Vera vs. Cruz on Saturday, August 13, 2022
- UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards on Saturday, August 20, 2022
Past Fights That Were Available for Free or at a Discount
We’ve been using VPNs to live stream UFC events for free or at a discount for some time now, though the online tricks have changed. From Conor McGregor to Jorge Masvidal, we haven’t missed much. Here are some of the events we’ve covered, just in the past year!
- Usman vs. Covington 2
- Usman vs. Masvidal 2
- McGregor vs. Poirier 3
- McGregor vs. Poirier 2
- Błachowicz vs. Teixeira
- Lewis vs. Gane
- Adesanya vs. Vettori 2
- Volkanovski vs. Ortega
Got some questions about finding live streams for UFC pay-per-view events? Just click on one of the questions below.
For free live streams of UFC main events, you can use unofficial sports streaming sites. We’ve broken down all the different ways to watch UFC pay-per-view main events for free, or at a huge discount in our full UFC streaming guide.
You’ll need a VPN to access UFC Fight Pass in Japan, which streams UFC PPV events without the hefty $70 fee. You also won’t need an ESPN+ subscription like in the US. For a step-by-step breakdown on downloading a VPN and accessing the UFC Fight Pass in Japan, check out our full article.
UFC’s official website and YouTube channel are home to classic bouts. If you want to watch live pay-per-view events for free, you’ll need to use a free sports streaming site. Unfortunately, many of those streams don’t have the broadcasting rights to show those events. Instead, you can get a massive discount on legal streams, like UFC Fight Pass in Japan. Just check out our full UFC guide to learn how.
Hi,
Do you have a list showing the streaming services and where it compares the pricing for all the streaming services in the world for UFC fights that include PPV for those of us who have a VPN?
Thank you
Hi A.K!
Thank you for the suggestion. We’ll look into it and update our article to include more information soon!
Yeah, I just tried mola.tv and it wanted me to sign up for a paid subscription. Any other methods?
Mola.tv has indeed changed its offer and is now paid. It’s relatively cheap, but doesn’t appear to work with American credit and debit cards. We’ve found a legal alternative, but unfortunately that isn’t completely free, either. Some streaming services offer access to all UFC fights for a monthly fee that’s significantly lower than the PPV options in the US, so we hope that helps! Some platforms also offer free UFC streams, but those tend to be unofficial, so we personally wouldn’t recommend using them. We’ve updated our article to reflect this new information. We hope it helps!
It’s not free, very cheap yes, but not totally free. Thanks for the tip though, much appreciated!
Thank you for reaching out! We’ve adjusted the article with a new option that offers a big discount compared to PPV.
Hi, unfortunately Kijk.nl doesn’t have the rights anymore.
Any new free VPN accessible websites to watch UFC? thank you
Yes! The Indonesian Mola.tv currently is your best bet for watching UFC for free. You can follow the instructions at the top of this page to get this to work. Good luck!