UFC announces Q1 2019 schedule with new partner ESPN
During UFC 230, the UFC announced its Q1 2019 schedule, marking the beginning of its American media TV home transition from FOX to ESPN, streaming component ESPN +, and Walt Disney’s Direct-to-Consumer and International division.
FOX was the home of the UFC for seven years starting in 2011 and it ushered in a new era of visibility, starting with Junior Dos Santos dismantling Cain Velasquez for the heavyweight belt at UFC on FOX 1 in November 2011.
But in May, ESPN offered a 5-year, $1.5 billion USD deal to the UFC that FOX was either unwilling or unable to match.
UFC’s first stop is Brooklyn’s Barclay Center on Jan. 19, while the first pay-per-view is Anaheim’s UFC 233 from the Honda Center in California. The quarter concludes on Mar. 30 with an UFC on ESPN Fight Night.
No Canadian dates were revealed, but some of the dates do not have confirmed venues.
The current full sked is:
Jan 26 – UFC 233 – Honda Center – Anaheim, CA
Feb 2 – UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night – Brazil – ESPN+
Feb 9 – UFC 234
Feb 17 – UFC on ESPN Fight Night – Talking Stick Resort Arena, Phoenix, AZ
Feb 23 – UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night
Mar 2 – UFC 235 – T-Mobile Arena, Las Vegas, NV
Mar 9 – UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night
Mar 16 – UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night – The O2 Arena, London, England – ESPN+
Mar 23 – UFC on ESPN+ Fight Night
