The year 2020 was the 28th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.
Partnership Starting in 2021, a partnership between the UFC and Dapper Labs's Flow platform for MMA fans to own, maintain and trade UFC-branded collectibles was announced on February 26, 2020.
Onwards from April 2021, the UFC announced Venum as their exclusive outfitting partner on July 11, 2020.
2020 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.
2020 UFC Honors AwardsPerformance of the YearFight of the YearKnockout of the YearSubmission of the YearDebut of the YearEvent of the YearComeback of the YearWinnerJoaquin Buckley defeats Impa Kasanganay UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. SandhagenZhang Weili defeats Joanna Jędrzejczyk 1 UFC 248Joaquin Buckley defeats Impa Kasanganay UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. SandhagenKhabib Nurmagomedov defeats Justin Gaethje UFC 254Khamzat Chimaev defeats John Phillips UFC on ESPN: Kattar vs. IgeUFC 256: Figueiredo vs. MorenoBeneil Dariush defeats Drakkar Klose UFC 248NomineeKevin Holland defeats Ronaldo Souza UFC 256Dustin Poirier defeats Dan Hooker UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. HookerCody Garbrandt defeats Raphael Assunção UFC 250Ariane Lipski defeats Luana Carolina UFC 285Jiří Procházka defeats Volkan Oezdemir UFC 251UFC 249: Ferguson vs. GaethjeChase Hooper defeats Peter Barrett UFC 256NomineeCody Garbrandt defeats Raphael Assunção UFC 250Josh Emmett defeats Shane Burgos UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. VolkovKevin Holland defeats Ronaldo Souza UFC 256Mackenzie Dern defeats Hannah Cifers UFC on ESPN: Woodley vs. BurnsKhaos Williams defeats Alex Morono UFC 247UFC 250: Nunes vs. SpencerDaniel Rodriguez defeats Dwight Grant UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. EdgarNomineeCharles Oliveira defeats Kevin Lee UFC Fight Night: Lee vs. OliveiraDeiveson Figueiredo draws with Brandon Moreno 1 UFC 256Khaos Williams defeats Abdul Razak Alhassan UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos AnjosJimmy Flick defeats Cody Durden UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. NealJordan Leavitt defeats Matt Wiman UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. VettoriUFC 251: Usman vs. MasvidalDamon Jackson defeats Mirsad Bektić UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. WoodleyRef
2020 UFC.com awards
2020 UFC.COM AwardsNoBest FighterThe UpsetsThe SubmissionsThe NewcomersThe KnockoutsThe Fights1Deiveson FigueiredoRoxanne Modafferi defeats Maycee Barber UFC 246Ariane Lipski defeats Luana Carolina UFC 285Khamzat ChimaevJoaquin Buckley defeats Impa Kasanganay UFC Fight Night: Moraes vs. SandhagenZhang Weili defeats Joanna Jędrzejczyk 1 UFC 2482Jan BłachowiczShana Dobson defeats Mariya Agapova UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. EdgarMackenzie Dern defeats Hannah Cifers UFC on ESPN: Woodley vs. BurnsJoaquin BuckleyCody Garbrandt defeats Raphael Assunção UFC 250Deiveson Figueiredo draws with Brandon Moreno 1 UFC 2563Kevin HollandJulian Erosa defeats Sean Woodson UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. HookerAljamain Sterling defeats Cory Sandhagen UFC 250Brandon RoyvalSean O'Malley defeats Eddie Wineland UFC 250Dustin Poirier defeats Dan Hooker UFC on ESPN: Poirier vs. Hooker4Gilbert BurnsKhaos Williams defeats Alex Morono UFC 247Khabib Nurmagomedov defeats Justin Gaethje UFC 254Khaos WilliamsKevin Holland defeats Ronaldo Souza UFC 256Josh Emmett defeats Shane Burgos UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. Volkov5Khamzat ChimaevJustin Jaynes defeats Frank Camacho UFC on ESPN: Blaydes vs. VolkovCharles Oliveira defeats Kevin Lee UFC Fight Night: Lee vs. OliveiraJiří ProcházkaKhamzat Chimaev defeats Gerald Meerschaert UFC Fight Night: Covington vs. WoodleyDan Hooker defeats Paul Felder UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. Hooker6Valentina ShevchenkoMarlon Vera defeats Sean O'Malley 1 UFC 252Jimmy Flick defeats Cody Durden UFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. NealJamahal HillKhaos Williams defeats Abdul Razak Alhassan UFC Fight Night: Felder vs. dos AnjosJustin Gaethje defeats Tony Ferguson UFC 2497Brandon MorenoDaniel Rodriguez defeats Tim Means UFC Fight Night: Anderson vs. Błachowicz 2Jack Hermansson defeats Kelvin Gastelum UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2Youssef ZalalBeneil Dariush defeats Drakkar Klose UFC 248Rose Namajunas defeats Jéssica Andrade 2 UFC 2518Glover TeixeiraJan Błachowicz defeats Dominick Reyes UFC 253Thiago Moisés defeats Michael Johnson UFC Fight Night: Smith vs. TeixeiraIlia TopuriaJordan Leavitt defeats Matt Wiman UFC on ESPN: Hermansson vs. VettoriFrankie Edgar defeats Pedro Munhoz UFC on ESPN: Munhoz vs. Edgar9Charles OliveiraDaniel Pineda defeats Herbert Burns UFC 252Deiveson Figueiredo defeats Joseph Benavidez 2 UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2Tom AspinallCalvin Kattar defeats Jeremy Stephens UFC 283Jon Jones defeats Dominick Reyes UFC 24710Israel AdesanyaBrandon Royval defeats Tim Elliott UFC on ESPN: Woodley vs. BurnsGermaine de Randamie defeats Julianna Peña UFC on ESPN: Holm vs. AldanaChris DaukausBeneil Dariush defeats Scott Holtzman UFC Fight Night: Lewis vs. OleinikVicente Luque defeats Niko Price 2 UFC 249Ref
2020 by the numbers
The numbers below records the events, fights, techniques, champions and fighters held or performed for the year of 2020 in UFC. EventsNumber of EventsPPVContinentsCountriesCitiesFight Night Bonuses4111449167 Total $8,350,000Longest EventShortest EventHighest Income Live GateLowest Income Live GateHighest AttendanceLowest AttendanceUFC 251 3:07:27UFC Fight Night: Overeem vs. Sakai 1:17:33UFC 246 $11,089,129.30UFC Fight Night: Benavidez vs. Figueiredo $402,958UFC 246 19,040UFC Fight Night: Anderson vs. Błachowicz 2 6,449Title FightsUndisputed Title FightsTitle ChangesChampions Remained in Their DivisionsNumber of ChampionsNumber of Interim ChampionsNumber of Title Defenses18010FLY – Deiveson FigueiredoFW – Alexander VolkanovskiLW – Khabib NurmagomedovWW – Kamaru Usman MW – Israel Adesanya HW – Stipe MiocicWSW – Zhang WeiliWFYW – Valentina ShevchenkoWBW – Amanda Nunes WFW – Amanda Nunes13215ChampionsDivisionBeginning of The YearEnd of The YearDivisionBeginning of The YearEnd of The YearHeavyweightStipe MiocicStipe MiocicBantamweightHenry CejudoPetr YanLight HeavyweightJon JonesJan BłachowiczFlyweightHenry CejudoDeiveson FigueiredoMiddleweightIsrael AdesanyaIsrael AdesanyaWomen's BantamweightAmanda NunesAmanda NunesWelterweightKamaru UsmanKamaru UsmanWomen's FlyweightValentina ShevchenkoValentina ShevchenkoLightweightKhabib NurmagomedovKhabib NurmagomedovWomen's StrawweightZhang WeiliZhang WeiliFeatherweightAlexander VolkanovskiAlexander VolkanovskiWomen's FeatherweightAmanda NunesAmanda NunesFightsMost Knockouts at A Single EventMost submissions at A Single EventMost Decisions at A Single EventTotal Number of FightsTotal Number of Cage TimeUFC Fight Night: Hall vs. Silva 7UFC Fight Night: Figueiredo vs. Benavidez 2 5UFC Fight Night: Lee vs. OliveiraUFC Fight Night: Thompson vs. Neal 945683:33:19KnockoutsSubmissionsUnanimous DecisionsSplit DecisionsNo Contests13982185355FightersNumber of FightersUFC DebutantsReleases / RetiredFighters SuspendedNumber of Fighters Missed weight(At the end of Dec 31, 2020) 576123934046Champion feats No UFC championships changed hands during the 2020 calendar year, marking the first year without a title change since 1999. With his 14th title‑fight victory, Jon Jones set a new UFC record, surpassing the previous mark of 13 held by Georges St-Pierre. Amanda Nunes became the first fighter to defend titles in two divisions while holding both championships simultaneously. Joseph Benavidez became the first fighter to go 0–4 in undisputed championship bouts. Khabib Nurmagomedov became the first fighter to win three consecutive title fights via submission. Deiveson Figueiredo recorded the fastest turnaround between UFC championship fights at 21 daysFighter feats Aleksei Oleinik became the first fighter in MMA history to have victories in four separate decades (1990s, 2000s, 2010s, 2020s) Jon Jones became the first fighter to record 20 victories in a single UFC weight division, a feat later matched by Max Holloway in 2023. Priscila Cachoeira's 40 second knockout at UFC Fight Night 168 was the fastest finish in women's flyweight history. Angela Hill’s six bouts from March 23, 2019 to February 23, 2020 were the most in an 11‑month span. The record was later surpassed by Kevin Holland, who competed seven times between May 2020 and April 2021. Israel Adesanya reached eight UFC wins in 755 days, the shortest span in which any fighter has achieved that mark. Charles Oliveira's fifth guillotine-choke submission set a new record for the most in company history. Curtis Blaydes set a new UFC heavyweight record by landing 14 takedowns in a single bout. Dustin Poirier and Dan Hooker's 390 combined total strikes landed set the record for the most in a lightweight bout. Khamzat Chimaev set the modern UFC record for the shortest timeframe to earn two victories, winning twice in just ten days. Paul Craig became the first fighter to win via triangle-choke submission in three separate bouts. Shana Dobson's win over Mariya Agapova marked the biggest betting‑odds upset in UFC history at +1250. Hannah Cifers became the first fighter to suffer four consecutive losses in a calendar year. Khamzat Chimaev set the modern UFC record for the shortest timeframe to earn three victories, winning three times in 66 days. Glover Teixeira became the first in history to have five straight wins at the age of 40 or older. Glover Teixeira set division records for the most submissions (6) and most finishes (12) in UFC light heavyweight history.
Releases and retirements These fighters have either been released from their UFC contracts, announced their retirement or joined other promotions: