How To Get In The UFC And Become a UFC Fighter | Explained
The UFC is the pinnacle of Mixed Martial Arts, which is the very reason why many fighters dream of fighting in the UFC.
In this page, we'll cover everything needed to do in order to maximize your chances at becoming a UFC fighter.
Table of Contents
- Fight in the Regional Scene
- Win and/or Be An Exciting Fighter
- Work On Your Microphone Skills
- Find a Good Management Company
- Apply to be a Fighter on the UFC Site
- Tag Fight Promoters on Social Media
Fight in the Regional Scene
You can have the best in-cage skills in the world, but if you don't know how to use them, and when to use them, you'll never reach your full potential.
The regional scene provides something that everyone has to go through, which is gaining experience.
Experience will improve your fight IQ, and it'll help you with your confidence. Being put in difficult situations early in your career and overcoming it, will help you be confident the next time a difficult situation comes up.
Additionally, the regional scene will be full of other fighters trying to gain experience, which will provide you with an even matchup while polishing your skills.
Fighter Without Regional Experience
Don't believe that experience in the regional scene is important? CM Punk may tell you otherwise.
CM Punk skipped the regional scene as due to his notoriety in the professional wrestling world, he was an immediate draw.
Unfortunately for him, his lack of experience was immediately apparent. He would fight twice in the UFC and lose both.
In his first fight, Mickey Gall started the fight by pretending to load up on a haymaker punch, before quickly going for the takedown successfully.
After that, the fight was pretty much over as CM Punk was unable to do much of anything, and he was submitted shortly after.
Win and/or Be An Exciting Fighter
Win
You can be the best fighter in the gym, but if you aren't able to showcase that during the fight and win, it won't matter.
Winning is the number one way to increase your value. If you are not winning your fights, the truth is that nobody in the professional world of MMA will care.
Be an Exciting Fighter
Although winning is the most important task, being an exciting fighter can absolutely help.
Justin Gaethje is a great example of this, as he was able to rack up his record to a staggering 17-0 in other MMA promotions including the World Series of Fighting, before getting his first shot in the UFC.
Not only was he winning, but he was an extremely exciting fighter. He was known for going for the finish in every fight, and having massive success as he has finished almost all of his opponents during his wins.
Work On Your Microphone Skills
Although this is the sport of fighting, this is the entertainment business. This means that the more people tune into your fight, the more money that will be in your pocket.
Everyone knows how well Conor McGregor was on the microphone, that forever evolved the sport of MMA.
However, there may not be a better example of how a career can change with better microphone skills than Colby Covington.
Covington was known for being a hard worker, quiet, and all about fighting as he amassed a 12-1 record going into his fight vs Demian Maia.
However, although he was winning, he was not a draw.
Due to this, the UFC had told his manager that they were not going to re-sign him.
This is when Covington did a complete heel turn, formed his own outspoken and controversial character, and hasn't looked back since.
Make no mistake about it, Covington's character is very controversial. This isn't to say that you have to be controversial in order to have success, but more for pointing out recent history.
Find a Good Agent/Management Company
A good MMA agent/manager can make a giant difference in your MMA career.
A good manager will negotiate a better salary, better opponents, and better cards that you can fight on.
MMA contracts are tough to renegotiate, as the companies typically want to see fighters fight it out, unless they become champions.
This makes it even more important to receive a fair contract from the beginning, rather than be locked in a contract you're unhappy in.
Paradigm Sports & Alliance MMA are management companies that are providing their fighters some of the best pay in all of MMA.
Apply to be a Fighter on the UFC Site
Believe it or not you are able to apply directly from the UFC site. You will need to create a profile to be considered.
Applying on their site is how you can throw your name in the hat to be considered for UFC shows including Dana White's Contender Series, Dana White's Looking for a Fight, and The Ultimate Fighter.
Solidifying your in-cage skills, out of cage skills, & record is how your profile will stand out in order to get picked.
Tag Fight Promoters on Social Media
This isn't necessarily the best way to get noticed, but as social media gets bigger every year, it's worth a shot.
Tag fight promoters with your highlights, and DM them.
If your highlights are good enough, they will gain traction as far as retweets, and they can be noticed by fight promoters.
Frequently Asked Questions
How Can I Fight for the UFC?
Gain experience in the regional scene, win & be an exciting fighter, work on your microphone skills, and find a good management company to represent you.
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