Total Rounds in a UFC Match: Guide to UFC Round Basics

UFC fans are all over the world. Fans wait anxiously for the UFC fights daily and watch their favorite fighters in the match. Unlike other sports, UFC has its unique rules governing the game. The terminologies used in the UFC, the number and duration of rounds, and many other things are unique in the UFC that no other sports use. This makes the fans confused regarding many things in the UFC. Despite the confusion, UFC fans don’t stop watching their favorite fighters play. If you are a UFC fan, you must also be confused, particularly about the number and duration of rounds. But you no longer need to remain confused about this, as we have compiled a comprehensive guide about this. This guide will solve all your confusion about the UFC basics and its rounds.

There is not the same number of rounds in all UFC fights. Some fights and matches have three scheduled rounds, whereas others have five rounds as scheduled. This depends on the type of UFC match. Let's discuss this with the type of UFC match being played.

• The main event UFC fight has five rounds in total, as scheduled initially. This is a rule in UFC that all main event UFC matches have to be of five rounds.

• In a UFC card, there is usually a match that is perceived as of the highest importance. This match or event is at the end of the card and includes the top fighters in the UFC. This main event can be for the title or without any title. It can contain one or more fights.

• But the fight, when played, can continue for fewer than five rounds, depending on the fighters. For example, the match will be stopped if one fighter gets injured. Moreover, if a fighter wins by submission, knockout, or technical knockout, then it also results in the stoppage of the main event. No contest is also an example where the main event UFC fight can have fewer rounds than five, with no declared winner.

• Title fights in UFC, like main events, always have five rounds as scheduled. According to the rule in UFC, all fights to be played in the UFC for the title must have five rounds.

• UFC title fights are the fights in which there is a competition between two fighters for a championship title. This title can be for any championship.

• Similar to main event fights, there are some exceptions in which the fight cannot have five rounds, and the exceptions are similar to main events, such as No Contest (NC), technical knockout, knockout, or submission.

• UFC prelims, unlike title fights and main event fights, are composed of three rounds as scheduled. These matches cannot contain more than three rounds.

• UFC prelims are the UFC fights that happen before the UFC main card. These are the opening matches of a UFC card (UFC tournament), which includes a number of matches.

• There are some exceptions, like in other fights, in which rounds can be less than three with or without a declared winner.

• UFC early prelims also contain three rounds in one UFC fight, like prelims as scheduled initially.

• UFC early prelims are the matches that happen even before the prelims. These are usually free to watch.

• There are some exceptions, like NC, TKO, KO, in which rounds can be less than three in a UFC early prelims match.

• The UFC main card contains all the important matches in a UFC card, including the main event. And the undercard contains all other matches, including the early prelims and prelims.

• The matches in the UFC main card, including title matches and main events, contain five rounds, whereas all matches in the UFC undercard contain three rounds as scheduled initially.

Not all UFC matches contain the same number of rounds due to the following:

• The importance of the main matches and ordinary matches in UFC cannot be the same. To give more importance to high-profile UFC matches and less importance to low-profile UFC matches, the UFC schedules different numbers of rounds in both types of UFC matches.

• To differentiate between the main matches and other matches, the UFC decided to change the number of rounds.

• The main matches are mostly for the title win or include the best fighters. So it should not be easy for them to win the title. For this reason, UFC extended the number of rounds to enable the fighters to fight longer and harder to get the title.

• The UFC main card includes the top fighters. To give the fighters a chance to better display their skills and techniques, UFC added two more rounds. This allows UFC fighters to use all the skills on their bucket list.

• Fans are more eager and excited for the main events rather than the undercard. To give more time to fans to enjoy the fight, UFC has the reason to add two more rounds.

• More rounds mean more time and hence more fights. More fight creates more drama, excitement, the best moments, and a better showcase of skills for the fighters. So this gives more excitement and enjoyment for the fans.

• UFC rounds, whether in a main event match, a title fight, or an undercard match, are 5 minutes long.

• There is a one-minute break between the rounds.

• Therefore, the UFC undercard matches will be 17 minutes long, including three rounds of five minutes each and a one-minute break between the rounds.

• The UFC main card matches, including both title fights and main event matches, are 29 minutes long with five rounds of five minutes each and a one-minute break between the rounds.

• Furthermore, the duration of a total match in the UFC can be varied depending on the game situation. Sometimes, the match is stopped due to some external reasons, resulting in no winner.

• Sometimes, one fighter can win by submission, technical knockout, or knockout, which will also result in the match finishing, hence the duration will become less than scheduled.

• If the fighter is injured, the duration of the total match will also be decreased.

You can see the match status to know whether it's a three-round or a five-round match. If it is being played at the end of the UFC card, it will have five rounds. If there are more matches remaining to be played, then it will have three rounds.

There are unique terminologies that are used in UFC. Let's explore them:

• UFC Card: UFC card is like a tournament in UFC, which includes a lot of matches. The card ended with the final match ,the winner of which is awarded a title.
• UFC Undercard: The UFC undercard includes all the matches other than the main event.
• UFC Maincard: The UFC main card includes the main event or high-profile matches of the UFC card.
• UFC Prelims: UFC prelims include the opening matches of the UFC card. These are low-profile matches.
• UFC Early Prelims: UFC early prelims include the matches that are played before the prelims. They are free to watch and include the fighters who are not considered among the top fighters in the UFC. These are also low-profile matches.
• UFC Supercard: UFC supercard contains the main event or title fight matches.

The number and duration of UFC rounds vary depending on the fight. The actual rounds are decided based on the situation of the match. But according to the ruleset of the UFC, there are a minimum of three rounds and a maximum of five rounds that all matches and events have to follow. According to the UFC ruleset, the rounds depend on the status of the UFC match. If it is the main match or high profile, then it must have five rounds with five minutes each. If it is of low status or prelims or early prelims falling in the category of undercard, then the UFC match must have three rounds according to the UFC ruleset.

There are a total of three rounds in the UFC undercard (early prelims and prelims) matches, and a total of five rounds in the UFC main card (main event and title fights) matches.

The duration of each UFC round is five minutes, and a one-minute break is added between successive rounds.

• The UFC fight main card matches are 29 minutes long with five rounds of five minutes each and a one-minute break between the rounds.

• The UFC undercard matches are 17 minutes long, with three rounds of five minutes each and a one-minute break between the rounds.

A UFC card is like a tournament in UFC, which includes a lot of matches. The card ended with the final match, the winner of which is awarded a title.

The UFC undercard includes all the matches other than the main event. These are low profile matches. All these matches contain three rounds.