5 greatest non-pay-per-view events in UFC history

#4. UFC on Fox: Henderson vs. Diaz (2012)

Benson Henderson's lightweight title bout with Nate Diaz headlined a classic Fox show in 2012

When the UFC first signed a deal with the Fox network in late 2011, it was expected that they’d produce some loaded shows to broadcast there. However, sticking to their pay-per-view-driven business, that wasn’t the case at first.

That changed when the promotion put together their fifth event on Fox in late 2012, a stacked card headlined by a lightweight title bout between champion Benson Henderson and challenger Nate Diaz.

The event also featured a pair of huge bouts on its main card: Alexander Gustafsson vs. ‘Shogun’ Rua and B.J. Penn vs. Rory MacDonald. It also had some of the promotion’s other big stars like Matt Brown, Mike Swick, Raphael Assuncao and Jeremy Stephens.

Of course, this wouldn’t have meant much had the fights themselves not delivered but they did hugely. Four of the seven preliminary bouts ended in violent fashion, and Brown turned Swick’s lights out in a wild opener.

The big three fights, meanwhile, all went the distance and were all fantastic, particularly Gustafsson vs. Rua, a fight which felt like a throwback to the great light heavyweight battles that took place in PRIDE.

In the end, Henderson, Gustafsson and MacDonald all came away with huge victories. The biggest winners here were the fans, who got to witness not just one of the best events of 2012, but one of the best non-pay-per-view events in UFC history.

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#3. UFC Fight Night 204: Volkov vs. Aspinall (2022)

Tom Aspinall's win over Alexander Volkov capped off a classic Fight Night event in London

The most recent entry on this list didn’t feature a title bout at the top of the card, nor did it feature any of the UFC’s biggest names, per say. Instead, Fight Night: Volkov vs. Aspinall was turned into a classic by a mix of wild fights and a truly raucous crowd.

The event was the promotion’s first visit to the UK since 2019, a decision essentially forced upon Dana White and company by the COVID-19 pandemic. When it came to fight time, it was immediately clear that the fans were ready to see some action, and the fighters didn’t disappoint.

Incredibly, just three of the twelve fights on offer went the distance, with the others all ending in wild, violent and entertaining fashion.

It’d be hard to put your finger on one main highlight. Standout moments included Paddy Pimblett’s submission of Kazula Vargas, Molly McCann’s spinning elbow KO of Luana Carolina, and breakout performances from Tom Aspinall and Arnold Allen in the event’s two headline bouts.

Overall, though, this one was more about the red-hot crowd. The reception the London fans gave the fighters instantly made the event far more memorable than the low-key Fight Night events in Las Vegas – and helped to make it one of the best non-pay-per-view events of all time.