ESPN Unveils UFC Events For First Quarter 2019

ESPN Sunday announced its lineup of UFC events for the first three months of 2019, with the first event debuting in January.

The events – part of the network’s exclusive five-year TV agreement with the mixed martial arts outfit – will run over 11 consecutive weeks in the first quarter. ESPN+ will showcase more than 36 hours, with ESPN linear networks airing another 18 hours of UFC content, said ESPN officials.

The UFC kicks off on ESPN Jan. 19 with a live UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night card, with main card bouts streamed live on ESPN+ and preliminary fights shown on ESPN and ESPN Deportes. ESPN’s first distributed UFC pay-per-view event will air Jan. 26, according to both companies.

Date                               UFC Event                                                     Location

Jan. 19                    UFC On ESPN+ Fight Night                              Brooklyn, NY

Jan. 26                   UFC 233 –Pay-per-View event                         Anaheim, CA.

Feb. 2                     UFC On ESPN+ Fight Night                               Brazil

Feb. 9                     UFC 234 – Pay-Per-View event                        TBD

Feb. 17                   UFC On ESPN Fight Night                                  Phoenix, AZ

Feb. 23                  UFC On ESPN+ Fight Night                                TBD

March 2                UFC 235 –Pay-Per-View event                          Las Vegas

March 9                UFC On ESPN+ Fight Night                                TBD

March 16              UFC On ESPN+ Fight Night                                 London

March 23             UFC On ESPN+ Fight Night                                  TBD

March 30             UFC On ESPN Fight Night                                   TBD

R. Thomas Umstead

R. Thomas Umstead serves as senior content producer, programming for Multichannel News, Broadcasting + Cable and Next TV. During his more than 30-year career as a print and online journalist, Umstead has written articles on a variety of subjects ranging from TV technology, marketing and sports production to content distribution and development. He has provided expert commentary on television issues and trends for such TV, print, radio and streaming outlets as Fox News, CNBC, the Today show, USA Today, The New York Times and National Public Radio. Umstead has also filmed, produced and edited more than 100 original video interviews, profiles and news reports featuring key cable television executives as well as entertainers and celebrity personalities.