MMA is one of the fastest growing sports in the world and the impact of the sport in the UK continues to be felt across all areas of society.
Whilst there are plenty of MMA promotions, both domestically and internationally, there is one MMA brand in particular that seems to resonate with fans and punters more than others – the UFC.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship was the first franchise to bring MMA as it is known today into the public eye and the scrutiny and investment within the sport continues to grow at an astronomical rate.
One of the most notable developments in the world of UFC in the past decade or so has been the influx of sports betting companies that are willing to get UFC within their roster. According to sources such as Match.Center bookmakers offer a wide range of bets on the UFC.
With pay-per-view events on a weekly basis and an avid social media following, UFC has been born into the most consumable age that sport has ever produced, and it continues to ride the crest of that wave.
The UK has always been at the forefront of new sporting trends and innovations and therefore it is no surprise that the UFC is blazing a trail in the UK, and it is showing absolutely no sign of slowing.
Here is a deeper dive into the growing popularity and awareness of UFC in the UK and some of the betting trends that are emerging from it:
Sport for all
Few countries love an underdog more than the UK and whilst every UFC bout will inevitably have a favourite, the fact of the matter remains that once two fighters stand in the octagon, literally anything can happen.
Unpredictability and fast-paced action is a huge part of the brand with UFC and the British fans and punters have fully bought into the carnage that can ensue, in any fight, at any given time.
Inclusivity is another huge part of the appeal for UFC fans, with men and women often being given equal billing on some of the biggest cards in the world. In an age where female footballers in particular are having to scratch a living in comparison to their male counterparts, the UFC continues to promote equality and fairness when it comes to growing the sport.
Crash, Bang, Wallop!
As previously alluded to, the cut and thrust of the UFC can sometimes make it a barbaric watch but it has captured the heart of the British sporting nation. From devastating knockout blows, through to cringeworthy submissions, the UFC promotes the ultimate culture of winning at all costs and the action is hard to turn off from.
Whilst it may be a bit of a stereotype, British sports fans always enjoy the darker arts of any sports and there are few more rough and ready sporting offerings than the UFC. Whilst it may not be for everyone, the brutal appeal of the UFC does resonate with many sports fans.
UFC Betting Trends
Whilst the UFC certainly isn’t a new sport by any means, the notion of betting on MMA and specifically the UFC is relatively infantile within the UK sports betting community. As with most combat sports, most betting options were placed within the two-option markets, making it difficult for many punters to find value when combat sports betting.
The UFC has bucked this trend however, by not just offering the straight-win options on bouts but also in-play offerings such as method of victory, which round the fight will be won in and whether a fighter will be knocked down.
All of these more intricate market offerings give British UFC punters the chance to spread their bets across a wider variety of betting options and as a consequence, it makes the UFC betting experience for UK punters a more holistic one.
With the number of betting options on the market for British UFC punters continually developing and the sport itself going from strength to strength, the UK and UFC looks like a match made in heaven for a fair few years to come.
