2023 in UFC


The year 2023 was the 31st year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.

UFC in 2023

UFC merged with WWE to form TKO Group

In April 2023, Endeavor Group Holdings announced that UFC would merge with the wrestling promotion WWE to form TKO Group Holdings, a new Public company majority-owned by Endeavor, with Vince McMahon serving as an executive chairman of the new entity and White remaining as UFC president. The merger was completed on September 12, 2023.

Class action: anti-trust lawsuit

On August 9, 2023, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware decided to grant class action status to more than 1,200 former UFC fighters who competed between December 2010 and June 2017 who are suing upward of for 1.6 billions in wages that the lawsuit claims Zuffa had abused its power to suppress UFC fighters' wages, setting the stage on 8, April, 2024 trial.

Betting scandal

In early February 2023 UFC introduced rules that banned athletes, coaches, and their close family from betting on UFC events. after the call for a sports betting fraud investigation was made on a fight involving Darrick Minner a student of James Krause, who is a UFC coach and avid bettor, and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Lemos. The UFC was informed by sources that suspicious betting patterns had been observed on the fight.

USADA anti-doping partnership (2015–2024)

The UFC's partnership with USADA coming to an end in 2023, the UFC announced a new partnership with Drug Free Sport International, the same company that oversees the anti-doping programs of the NCAA, MLB, NFL, and NBA. This partnership is set to begin in 2024, after their current contract with USADA expired on December 31, 2023. The UFC announced that former FBI agent George Piro would serve as the independent administrator of the UFC's anti-doping program.

2023 by the numbers

The numbers below records the events, fights, techniques and fighters held or performed for the year of 2023 in UFC.

2023 UFC Honors awards

Starting in 2019, the UFC created year-end awards with "UFC Honors President's Choice Awards" for categories "Performance of the Year" and "Fight of the Year" being chosen by UFC CEO Dana White. The other "UFC Honors Fan Choice Awards" are for categories "Knockout of the Year", "Submission of the Year", "Event of the Year", "Comeback of the Year" and, from 2020, "Debut of the Year" in which fans are able to vote for the winner on social media.
Winners receive a trophy commemorating their achievement along with a set of tires from sponsor Toyo Tires.

Releases and retirements

These fighters have either been released from their UFC contracts, announced their retirement or joined other promotions:
  • Aaron Phillips – Released in June – Bantamweight
  • AJ Fletcher – Released in October – Welterweight
  • Alejandro Pérez – Released in January – Featherweight
  • Aleksa Camur – Released in August – Light Heavyweight
  • Amanda Nunes – Retired in June – Women's Bantamweight
  • André Fialho – Released in October – Welterweight
  • Ashlee Evans-Smith – Released in August – Women's Bantamweight
  • Ashley Yoder – Released in October – Women's Flyweight
  • Austin Lingo – Released in December – Featherweight
  • Augusto Sakai – Released in March – Heavyweight
  • Braxton Smith – Released in June – Heavyweight
  • Bea Malecki – Released in June – Women's Bantamweight
  • Blagoy Ivanov – Released in July – Heavyweight
  • Brandon Davis – Released in January – Bantamweight
  • Carlos Mota – Released in February – Flyweight
  • Charles Rosa – Released in August – Featherweight
  • Chase Sherman – Released in May – Heavyweight
  • Chris Daukaus – Released in August – Light Heavyweight
  • Cortney Casey – Released in September - Women's Flyweight
  • Cynthia Calvillo – Released in April – Women's Strawweight
  • Danaa Batgerel – Released in June – Bantamweight
  • Damir Ismagulov – Released in July – Lightweight
  • Darren Till – Released in March – Middleweight
  • Derek Brunson – Released in September – Middleweight
  • Don Shainis – Released in June – Featherweight
  • Ed Herman – Retired in April – Light Heavyweight
  • Erick Gonzalez – Released in June – Lightweight
  • Francis Ngannou – Released in January – Heavyweight
  • Francisco Trinaldo – Released in January – Welterweight
  • Gadzhi Omargadzhiev – Released in January – Welterweight
  • Glover Teixeira – Retired in January – Light Heavyweight
  • Guido Cannetti – Released in March – Bantamweight
  • Hannah Goldy – Released in October – Women's Strawweight
  • Ian Heinisch – Retired in August – Middleweight
  • Ilir Latifi – End of Contract – Heavyweight
  • Istela Nunes – Released in August – Women's Strawweight
  • Jay Perrin – Released in January – Bantamweight
  • Jake Collier – Released in October – Heavyweight
  • Jeff Molina – Released in January – Flyweight
  • Jennifer Maia – End of contract – Women's Flyweight
  • Jinh Yu Frey – Released in October – Women's Strawweight
  • Ji Yeon Kim – Released in May – Women's Flyweight
  • Jessica-Rose Clark – Released in May – Women's Bantamweight
  • John Makdessi – Released in October – Lightweight
  • Johnny Muñoz Jr. – Released in December – Bantamweight
  • Jordan Wright – Released in February – Light Heavyweight
  • Joseph Holmes – Released in June – Middleweight
  • Jorge Masvidal – Retired in April – Welterweight
  • José Johnson – Released in March – Bantamweight
  • Journey Newson – Released in June – Featherweight
  • JP Buys – Released in October – Bantamweight
  • Juan Espino – Retired in April – Heavyweight
  • Kanako Murata – Released in November – Women's Strawweight
  • Kamuela Kirk – Released in October – Lightweight
  • Kevin Natividad – Released in January – Bantamweight
  • Kyle Daukaus – Released in January – Middleweight
  • Leah Letson – Retired in January – Women's Featherweight
  • Leomana Martinez – Released in March – Bantamweight
  • Lina Länsberg – Retired in February – Women's Bantamweight
  • Liudvik Sholinian – Released in January – Bantamweight
  • Mike Mathetha – Released in October – Welterweight|
  • Makwan Amirkhani – Released in June – Featherweight
  • Mandy Böhm – Released in August – Women's Flyweight
  • Maria Oliveira – Released in June – Women's Strawweight
  • Martin Sano Jr. – Released in June – Welterweight
  • Marcelo Rojo – Released in January – Featherweight
  • Maurício Rua – Retired in January – Light Heavyweight
  • Maxim Grishin – Released in June – Light Heavyweight
  • Michael Trizano – Released in January – Featherweight
  • Mike Breeden – Released in October – Lightweight
  • Mike Jackson – Released in January – Welterweight
  • Mounir Lazzez – Released in June – Welterweight
  • Nick Aguirre – Released in December – Bantamweight
  • Nick Fiore – Released in June – Lightweight
  • Omar Morales – Released in June – Lightweight
  • Orion Cosce – Released in June – Welterweight
  • Parker Porter – Released in December – Heavyweight
  • Raphael Assuncao – Retired in March – Bantamweight
  • Rafael Alves – Released in March – Lightweight
  • Raulian Paiva – Released in January – Bantamweight
  • Robbie Lawler – Retired in July – Welterweight
  • Ronnie Lawrence – Retirement – Bantamweight
  • Saidyokub Kakhramonov – Released in January – Bantamweight
  • Shamil Abdurakhimov – Released in January – Heavyweight
  • Sijara Eubanks – Released in January – Women's Flyweight
  • Shane Young – Released in October – Featherweight
  • Victor Rodriguez – Released in January – Flyweight
  • Vince Morales – Released in January – Bantamweight
  • Steven Peterson – Retired in March – Featherweight
  • Saidyokub Kakhramonov – Released in January – Bantamweight
  • Shannon Ross – Released in December – Flyweight
  • William Knight – Released in February – Light Heavyweight
  • Tafon Nchukwi – Released in August – Middleweight
  • Taila Santos – Released in November – Women's Flyweight
  • Takashi Sato – Released in June – Welterweight
  • Tanner Boser – Released in August – Light Heavyweight
  • Terrence Mitchell – Released in December – Bantamweight
  • Tony Gravely – Released in June – Bantamweight
  • Trevin Jones – Released in June – Bantamweight
  • Tucker Lutz – Released in October – Featherweight
  • Zak Cummings – Retired in April – Light Heavyweight
  • Zubaira Tukhugov – Released in March – Featherweight
  • Zhalgas Zhumagulov – Released in July – Flyweight
  • The Korean Zombie – Retired in August – Featherweight
  • Zarah Fairn – Released in September – Women's Featherweight

Debut UFC fighters

The following fighters fought their first UFC fight in 2023:

Suspended fighters

The list below is based on fighters suspended either by United States Anti-Doping Agency or World Anti-Doping Agency for violation of taking prohibited substances or non-analytical incidents, by local commissions on misconduct during the fights or at event venues, or by the UFC for reasons also stated below.
ISONameNicknameDivisionFromDurationTested positive for / InfoByEligible to
fight again		Ref.Notes
Brazildts|2021|Oct|16dts|2023|Apr|16

The Ultimate Fighter

The following The Ultimate Fighter seasons are scheduled for broadcast in 2023:
SeasonDivisionWinnerRunner-upRef
The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team ChandlerLightweightKurt HolobaughAustin Hubbard
The Ultimate Fighter: Team McGregor vs. Team ChandlerBantamweightBrad KatonaCody Gibson