The current UFC on ESPN era is nearing its conclusion. UFC action has called ESPN and ESPN+ home inside the United States of America for seven years. Flashback to 2018: Former UFC rightsholder FOX acquires the rights to WWE SmackDown! in a Friday evening timeslot under the FOX Sports banner in a $400 million (USD) deal.
The deal ran for five years, ending in the fall of 2024 and came with a per-episode cost of $7.6 million. Since Smackdown! left FOX, the network’s sports division has run live events in primetime on Friday evenings.
In the wake of the UFC and FOX parting company, the promotion and Disney-owned ESPN came to terms on what had initially been scheduled as a five-year media rights deal commencing in 2019. Said deal was later extended to a seven-year pact with pay-per-view exclusivity two months into the agreement’s life to extend the UFC on ESPN era through 2025 and included United States rights to Dana White’s Contender Series, which ran its ninth season on the ESPN app in the summer and early autumn of 2025.
UFC on ESPN Era: A Look Back on Exciting Moments
In August of 2025, with the expiration of the United States media rights deal looming, the promotion came to terms on a seven-year, $7.7 billion rights package to bring the annual 43-event schedule of events to Paramount+ inside the United States of America only. This deal also brings an end to the pay-per-view model in America for flagship UFC events.
With the UFC on ESPN era due to end this December (an Apex card will serve as the ESPN grand finale on Dec. 13), now is the perfect time to take a look back at some of the finest moments that the UFC on ESPN era of events has seen over its seven-year lifespan.
One note: This is not a countdown piece. We’ll be going in random order as a result.
UFC on ESPN Era’s Exciting Moments: Chimaev Wins Three Fights in 64 Days
In 2020, amid the height of the COVID-19 pandemic and the promotion’s stint on Fight Island in the United Arab Emirates, Khamzat Chimaev joined the active roster. With the mantra of fighters being “Get ready and stay ready,” Chimaev got in plenty of work during his tenure’s earliest days in the second year of the UFC on ESPN era.
On July 15, 2020, he made his promotional debut in the featured prelim of the night, securing a second-round submission by way of D’arce choke against John Phillips (22-11, 1 NC MMA, 1-5 UFC.) In so doing, he pocketed the $50,000 bonus for the Performance of the Night.
A mere 10 days later, he was called upon on short-notice to meet Rhys McKee (14-7-1 MMA, 1-5 UFC). This time around, he finished McKee in the first round by knockout with ground and pound shots, and again pocketed a $50,000 bonus.
Two months removed from his debut, he stopped Gerald Meerschaert (37-20 MMA, 12-12 UFC) with a 17-second knockout by way of a right cross, netting him yet another $50,000 in bonus money. This began the meteoric rise of the current UFC Middleweight Champion.
UFC on ESPN Era’s Best Moments: Gane Takes Heavyweight Gold in Seventh Bout
Back in August of 2019, with only three professional bouts to his credit at the time of his debut, the promotion welcomed Ciryl Gane (13-2 MMA, 10-2 UFC) for a Fight Night bout in Uruguay. That night, Gane faced off with Raphael Pessoa (10-7 MMA, 1-2 UFC) winning by way of first-round submission (arm-triangle choke.)
By the time August of 2021 rolled around, he’d amassed six wins under Dana White’s promotional banner, and a battle for the interim heavyweight championship awaited versus Derrick Lewis. “The Black” Beast was no match for “Bon Gamin” that summer Saturday night.
In the third round of an advertised five, he secured the belt with ground and pound. Though Gane would eventually falter in his quest for the permanent title at 265 vs. Francis Ngannou the following January, Ciryl Gane is still an exciting fighter at heavyweight in the promotion.
UFC on ESPN Era’s Exciting Moments: Tom Aspinall Exacts Revenge Against Blaydes
For our final entry in our list of exciting moments of the UFC on ESPN era, we stay in the heavyweight division and travel to the summer of 2022. Tom Aspinall (15-3 MMA, 8-1 UFC) fought Curtis Blaydes in the main event of that year’s iteration of UFC London.
It was set for five rounds at five minutes per round, but Aspinall suffered an injury to his knee just 15 seconds into the fight, rendering him unable to proceed in the contest and keeping him out of action for the next year. In July of 2024, Aspinall and Blaydes were set to rematch in London during the co-main attraction of UFC 304.
While it was again a five-round affair, Tom Aspinall took matters into his own hands that evening, finishing Curtis Blaydes in just one minute with a jab followed by ground and pound, netting him the interim heavyweight championship in the process. After Jon Jones’ sudden retirement in June of 2025, Aspinall has seen himself elevated to the permanent heavyweight title.
Final Thoughts
What were your favorite moments of the UFC on ESPN era? Let us know in the comments.
