Top UFC Venues Around the World: The Ultimate Arena Guide

The UFC has grown from small halls in the 1990s to routinely selling out some of the most famous arenas in sports, from Las Vegas to London and Abu Dhabi. This hub breaks down the key venues that define modern UFC history, what makes each building important, and the biggest fights that happened there, with links to deep-dive articles on every arena.

How the UFC Chooses Its Venues

The UFC chooses venues by balancing competitive, commercial, and logistical factors, starting with regulation and market demand. Events must run in jurisdictions where athletic commissions sanction MMA, so established markets like Nevada, New York, and major European hubs get more dates, especially when they consistently sell out and produce strong live gates. At the same time, the promotion targets cities with a mix of tourism draw, corporate partners, and local fanbases that can support premium ticket prices and high ancillary spend.​

Time zones, broadcast windows, and global scheduling also play a major role in venue selection. Las Vegas and East Coast arenas like Prudential Center or Madison Square Garden are ideal for North American prime-time pay-per-views, while European cards in London or Paris are often timed to work for both local crowds and TV audiences in the Americas. In Asia and the Middle East, venues such as Etihad Arena and Singapore Indoor Stadium allow the UFC to reach regional fans while still delivering broadcast-friendly start times for major markets.​

Finally, the UFC leans on proven “home bases” for different tiers of events. T-Mobile Arena hosts many supercards and International Fight Week shows, UFC Apex is used heavily for weekly Fight Night and Contender Series events, and repeat stops like Kaseya Center in Miami or Bell Centre in Montreal get priority when the promotion wants guaranteed atmosphere and reliable ticket demand. Over time, this pattern reinforces certain arenas as permanent fixtures on the calendar while newer markets are tested with occasional cards.

How to Use This UFC Venue Hub

This guide will include sections on each of the top MMA and UFC venues from around the world, including:

  • Full history
  • Three biggest fights
  • Each big card’s details
  • Links to venue site and media coverage
  • Links to historical fights

Map of the Top UFC Venues

Biggest UFC Arenas by History and Impact

1. T-Mobile Arena (Las Vegas) – Modern Supercard Capital

2. Madison Square Garden (New York) – East Coast Showcase

3. Bell Centre (Montreal) – Canadian Epicenter

4. The O2 Arena (London) – UK Home Base

5. Etihad Arena (Abu Dhabi) – “Fight Island” Hub

FAQ About UFC Venues and Arenas

Where are most UFC pay-per-views held?
Most modern UFC pay-per-views are held in the United States, with Las Vegas as the primary base and T-Mobile Arena acting as the flagship venue for supercards like UFC 229 and UFC 300. Other frequent PPV hosts include Madison Square Garden in New York, Kaseya Center in Miami, and major West Coast arenas such as Honda Center in Anaheim.​

What is the biggest UFC venue by attendance?
The largest live attendances in UFC history have come from stadium shows, especially in Australia at venues like Marvel Stadium in Melbourne, which hosted UFC 193 and UFC 243 with crowds exceeding 50,000. Standard arena shows typically draw between 15,000 and 20,000 fans at venues like T-Mobile Arena, Bell Centre, or United Center.​

How does the UFC decide which arenas get title fights?
Title fights are usually awarded to markets that combine strong regulation, proven demand, and storyline value, such as Las Vegas, New York, Abu Dhabi, and London. The promotion looks at past gate performance, local star power, and scheduling needs before assigning championship bouts to specific venues.​

What’s the difference between UFC Apex and regular arenas?
UFC Apex is the promotion’s own small-venue facility in Las Vegas, built primarily for Fight Nights, Contender Series events, and streamlined TV production. Traditional arenas like Prudential Center, TD Garden, or Toyota Center are large public venues used for big-ticket cards with full-capacity crowds and more elaborate fan experiences.​

Which countries host UFC events most often?
The United States hosts the majority of events, followed by regular stops in Canada, the United Kingdom, and key European markets like France and Sweden. In Asia and the Middle East, the UFC frequently visits venues such as Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, Singapore Indoor Stadium, and historically Saitama Super Arena in Japan.​

How often does the UFC return to the same arena?
Core venues like T-Mobile Arena, Madison Square Garden, The O2 Arena, and Prudential Center often see recurring events every 1–2 years, sometimes more frequently during strong cycles. Other arenas are used more opportunistically, aligned with local stars, new market pushes, or specific scheduling windows.