With the UFC currently churning out cards across multiple platforms such as ESPN, ESPN+ and ABC, it can be easy to forget about the promotion’s history on previous networks that helped launch the world’s MMA leader into the juggernaut that it is today.
Initially reaching a broadcast deal with FOX Sports in August of 2011, the UFC went on to air live fight in primetime from November of that year until December of 2018. This also included additional UFC Fight Nights and broadcast content for FOX’s various cable properties, which included FOX Sports 1, FX and FUEL TV.
Not only would this agreement lead to the UFC’s first televised events on network television in the U.S., but it also sparked a more “corporate era” of the company in regard to the uptick of its show schedule and more mainstream marketing tactics that quietly contributed to its capability to make a multibillion-dollar sale to WME-IMG in 2016.
During this time, the UFC obviously looked to its top talent to fill these cards, even leaning on underappreciated and/or underpaid fighters such as Demetrious Johnson and Nate Diaz (whom the promotion traditionally butted heads with at the negotiating table).
This post pays homage to some of the UFC fighters who made the FOX era an incredibly fun follow-up to the organization’s “Golden Era.” Note: It would be too difficult of a list if I included Fight Nights from FS1, so this list will strictly be focused on the fights that aired on the big FOX network.
Without further ado, here are my top 10 fights that aired on FOX …