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98 free MMA trivia questions with answers — sports quiz, new questions added Aug 2026.
50 free MMA trivia questions with answers. Are you a true MMA fan? Put your knowledge of mixed martial arts to the test with our engaging trivia quiz covering legendary fighters, historic battles, and iconic moments from the UFC and beyond. Whether you're a casual viewer or a dedicated combat sports enthusiast, this quiz will challenge your understanding of the sport's greatest athletes and unforgettable events.
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Q 01In what year did the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) hold its first event?
1993
1993's UFC 1 in Denver was set up by Art Davie, Rorion Gracie and Bob Meyrowitz to settle which martial art worked best.
Q 02Which U.S. city hosted the inaugural UFC event?
Denver, Colorado
UFC 1 was held at Denver's McNichols Sports Arena on November 12, 1993; Colorado was chosen partly because it had no athletic commission to approve the event.
Q 03Which women's weight class did the UFC add in 2014 as its lightest division?
Strawweight
Strawweight debuted in 2014 through The Ultimate Fighter 20, the first season whose winner was crowned a UFC champion outright, taking the new division's vacant belt.
Q 04What is the upper weight limit for the Heavyweight division in the UFC?
265 lbs
265 lbs caps heavyweight, the UFC's top class; there is no super heavyweight division, so bigger men must cut down to make it.
Q 05Which hold is a staple submission in mixed martial arts?
Rear-Naked Choke
The rear-naked choke, applied from the opponent's back with the forearm across the throat, is the most common submission finish in UFC history, well ahead of the guillotine and armbar.
Q 06What is the widely recognized nickname of the Irish fighter Conor McGregor?
The Notorious
Conor McGregor fights as 'The Notorious'; under that name he won the UFC featherweight title by knocking out José Aldo at UFC 194 in December 2015.
Q 07Which promotion did UFC owner Zuffa buy in 2011, then shut down and absorb?
Strikeforce
Zuffa bought Strikeforce in March 2011 and folded it in January 2013; Scott Coker's San Jose promotion began as a kickboxing outfit in 1985 and supplied the UFC's first women's roster.
Q 08What is the upper weight limit for the Lightweight division in the UFC?
155 lbs
155 lbs is the lightweight ceiling under the Unified Rules; non-title bouts allow a one-pound allowance, so a lightweight may weigh in at 156.
Q 09How much did the Fertitta brothers pay to buy the UFC in January 2001?
$2 million
Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta paid about $2 million for the near-bankrupt UFC in January 2001, forming Zuffa, LLC as its new parent company.
Q 10Which fighter set the UFC record of 11 consecutive title defenses from 2013 to 2017?
Demetrious Johnson
Demetrious Johnson defended the flyweight title 11 straight times, from John Dodson in January 2013 to Ray Borg in October 2017, the longest defense streak by any UFC champion.
Q 11What ancient Greek combat sport, combining wrestling and boxing, is considered a precursor to modern MMA?
Pankration
Pankration, an ancient Greek combat sport that blended striking and grappling with minimal rules, is widely regarded as an early form of mixed martial arts.
Q 12Who was the first fighter to win UFC titles in two different weight divisions?
Randy Couture
Randy Couture won the UFC heavyweight title in December 1997 and added the light heavyweight title in 2003, becoming the first fighter to hold UFC belts in two divisions.
Q 13How many rounds are typically in a non-title, non-main event UFC fight?
Three
Q 21Who is often referred to as 'The Last Emperor' in the sport of MMA?
Fedor Emelianenko
Fedor Emelianenko, a legendary heavyweight fighter, is widely known by his nickname 'The Last Emperor' due to his prolonged dominance in the sport, particularly in Pride FC.
Q 22How many rounds are typically in a UFC championship fight?
Five
All UFC championship bouts, as well as main event fights, are scheduled for five rounds. Each round lasts five minutes.
Q 23What is the MMA term for taking an opponent down and striking them from a dominant top position?
Ground and pound
Ground and pound is a wrestler's tactic: take the opponent down, then rain punches and elbows from top position.
Three five-minute rounds with one-minute breaks is the standard for UFC undercard bouts under the Unified Rules of MMA.
Q 14Which former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion is famously known by the nickname 'The Iceman'?
Chuck Liddell
Chuck Liddell, a former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion, earned the nickname 'The Iceman' due to his calm and composed demeanor before and during fights.
Q 15What is the upper weight limit for the Flyweight division in the UFC?
125 lbs
The UFC Flyweight division has an upper weight limit of 125 pounds (56.7 kg) for both men and women.
Q 16Which martial art, which Royce Gracie used to win the first UFC in 1993, brought ground fighting and submissions to early MMA?
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu let the slight Royce Gracie submit bigger men at UFC 1, 2 and 4, proving ground fighting could beat striking.
Q 17Who was the inaugural UFC Women's Strawweight Champion?
Carla Esparza
Esparza won the belt in December 2014 at The Ultimate Fighter 20 finale and, unusually, won it a second time in 2022 after losing and regaining it years apart.
Q 18Who was appointed UFC president when Zuffa bought the promotion in 2001?
Dana White
Dana White had been managing UFC fighters when he tipped off his friends the Fertitta brothers that the struggling promotion was for sale, for $2 million.
Q 19Which UFC Lightweight champion retired undefeated at 29-0?
Khabib Nurmagomedov
Khabib Nurmagomedov retired 29-0 after submitting Justin Gaethje at UFC 254 in October 2020, having held the lightweight title since beating Al Iaquinta in April 2018.
Q 20What is the name of the cage in which UFC fights take place?
The Octagon
UFC fights are famously held in an eight-sided enclosure known as 'The Octagon'.
Q 24Who is known as 'The Spider' in MMA?
Anderson Silva
Anderson Silva, a former long-reigning UFC Middleweight Champion, is famously known by his nickname 'The Spider' due to his unique striking style and agility.
Q 25What is the upper weight limit for the Welterweight division in the UFC?
170 lbs
The UFC Welterweight division has an upper weight limit of 170 pounds (77.1 kg).
Q 26Which Olympic wrestling gold medalist went on to hold UFC titles in two weight classes at the same time?
Henry Cejudo
Cejudo won freestyle wrestling gold at Beijing 2008 at age 21, then held the UFC flyweight and bantamweight belts simultaneously in 2019.
Q 27Which featherweight is known as 'The Korean Zombie'?
Chan Sung Jung
Jung earned the nickname for his relentless forward pressure and ability to absorb punishment; he was the first fighter to land a twister submission in the UFC.
Q 28In the UFC, what is the weight limit for the Women's Strawweight division?
115 lbs
The UFC Women's Strawweight division has an upper weight limit of 115 pounds (52.2 kg).
Q 29Who knocked out Ben Askren with a flying knee five seconds into their UFC 239 bout?
Jorge Masvidal
Jorge Masvidal's flying knee finished Ben Askren five seconds into their UFC 239 fight in July 2019, the fastest knockout in UFC history at the time.
Q 30What does a cutman do in MMA?
To treat injuries and prevent swelling during a fight
Working between rounds, the cutman handles swelling, nosebleeds and lacerations so a fighter can keep going.