
Most non-championship and non-main-event bouts have three rounds, meaning that you’ll see these kinds of fights most often.

These fights can be very exhausting and stressing for the fighters, which means that 15 minutes of fighting is generally not too much. Typically, UFC fights last for three rounds. Here, we have to consider reasons that are not connected to the fights themselves, but rather to the popularity and media coverage of the fights. Now that I’ve determined that a fight can last for three or five rounds, let us see how the number of rounds is actually determined. Difference Between Three and Five Round Fights in the UFC Now that we’ve given you the generalities, let us see how these elements function in more detail. Therefore, the UFC fights ( if they go to the distance) can last either 17 or 29 (including rests) minutes, depending on whether it’s fought for three or five rounds. The UFC rounds can last up to five minutes and there is a one-minute break between rounds. Some non-main-event fights, but only in certain divisions (outside of the UFC), also have a special, “sudden death” fourth round in case of a draw to determine the winner, but that is not a widely spread rule. The “big ones” – championship and “main event” fights – can last for a maximum of five rounds, while other fights can last for a maximum of three rounds.

In the passages that follow, I’ll be going over these rules.ĭespite the rules, the UFC doesn’t have a fixed round system, meaning that fights can vary in maximum length, depending on the type of the fight.Ĭhampionship or “main event” fights last longer than regular fights.īut the maximum number of rounds is still substantially smaller than in other combat sports, like boxing. They were established as a general guideline for MMA but became so popular that many other states (including Nevada, Louisiana, and California) decided to adopt them, along with the UFC. The current rules of UFC fights were established by the New Jersey Athletic Control Board (NJACB) under the title “Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts”.
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The Bottom Line How Long Are UFC Fights and Rounds?
