After being delayed back in April due to the coronavirus, UFC 249 is back on and we have all the details on how you can watch the highly anticipated event online or on TV in the U.S., Canada, UK and Australia.
UFC 249 was originally scheduled to take place in Brooklyn, New York but the UFC had to relocate the event to the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida. However, while the event is back on, there won't be any fans in attendance for Saturday's fights for safety reasons.
The venue may have changed and fans won't be crowded around the octagon but many of the fights originally scheduled for UFC 249 will be included on the new card. The biggest change though is that Tony Ferguson will now be taking on Justin Gaethje in the Interim UFC Lightweight Championship as Khabib Nurmagomedov is unable to leave his home country of Russia due to its coronavirus travel restrictions.
Ferguson is known for his incredible cardio and pressure while Gaethje's kill or be killed mentality sets himself apart from the pack. Ferguson also hasn't lost a match since May 2012 and in that time, he's won 12 fights and defeated Kevin Lee, Anthony Pettis, Donald Cerrone and more. Gaethje on the other hand is on a three fight winning streak following back-to-back losses.
In addition to the interim lightweight championship, Henry Cejudo will go up against Dominick Cruz for the UFC bantamweight championship. Elsewhere on the card, Francis Ngannou will take on Jairzinho Rozenstruik in a heavyweight bout, Jeremy Stephens will face off against Calvin Kattar in a featherweight bout and Greg Hardy and Yorgan De Castro will meet in the ring for a heavyweight bout.
Whether you're a long-time UFC fan or just looking to catch all the action at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena this Saturday, keep reading to find out exactly how to watch UFC 249 from anywhere in the world.
UFC 249 - Where and when?
UFC 249 will be held at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida on Saturday, May 9. While the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena seats 15,000 people, the event will be closed to the public and there will be no fans in attendance. The Early Prelims will kick off at 6pm ET / 3pm PT, the Prelims will follow after at 8 pm Eastern / 5pm Pacific and the Main Card will start at 10pm / 7pm PT.
There should be some other UFC events coming later in the month as well.
How to watch UFC 249 online in the U.S. exclusively on ESPN
As the UFC has entered into an exclusive agreement with ESPN until 2025, ESPN+ is the only place where you'll be able to watch the UFC 249 PPV in the US. If you already have an ESPN+ subscription, you can purchase access to the PPV for $65 and this price is for both monthly and annual subscribers. However, if you're not, ESPN is running a promotion where you can get the UFC 249 PPV and an annual subscription to the streaming service for just $84.98. While this may sound expensive at first, an annual ESPN+ subscription normally costs $50 by itself.
ESPN+ will allow you to watch the Early Prelims at 6 pm Eastern / 3pm Pacific, the Prelims at 8 pm Eastern / 5 pm Pacific and the Main Card at 10 pm Eastern / 7 pm Pacific. Alternatively you can also watch the Prelims and Early Prelims on TV on ESPN or just the Early Prelims on UFC Fight Pass.
ESPN+
The only way to stream the fight is with an ESPN+ subscription. You'll also need to purchase either the single fight or a bundle to watch it online.
Live stream UFC 249 in Canada
Canadian MMA fans have quite a few options to watch the UFC 249 PPV as Bell, Rogers, Shaw, SaskTel, Videotron, Telus , Eastlink and UFC Fight Pass will all show the Main Card at 10pm ET / 7pm PT. The Prelims will begin two hours earlier at 8pm ET / 5pm PT and you can watch them on either TSN or RDS. UFC Fight Pass is the only option to watch the Early Prelims in Canada at 6pm ET / 3pm PT.
If you have a cable subscription, then ordering the PPV from your cable provider might be the easiest way to watch it. However, if you've already cut the cord, then UFC Fight Pass makes a great deal of sense as it will give you access to both the Early Prelims and the Main Card.
How to watch UFC 249 in the UK
Just like previous UFC events, UFC 249 will be available exclusively through BT Sport in the UK. If you're already a BT Sport subscriber, you'll be able to watch the Main Card for Free beginning at 3am GMT early Sunday morning. One of the best things about BT Sport is the fact that the network also has a spoiler-free replay page so you can watch the Main Card at your convenience. You can also stream UFC 249 via the BT Sport app and on its webpage.
The Early Prelims will begin at 11pm GMT and you can watch them on UFC Fight Pass while the Prelims will be shown on both UFC Fight Pass and BT Sport at 1am GMT.
Watch UFC 249 in Australia
In Australia, you can watch UFC 249's Main Card on Main Event ,Fetch TV and on UFC Fight Pass at 2pm AEST / 12pm AWST on Sunday, May 10. The PPV itself costs $54.95 but you will need a cable package with ESPN or a subscription to UFC Fight Pass to watch the Early Prelims at 10am AEST / 8am AWST and the Prelims at 12pm AEST / 10am AWST.
UFC 249 - The main card in full
Interim UFC Lightweight Championship
- Tony Ferguson vs. Justin Gaethje
UFC Bantamweight Championship
- Henry Cejudo vs Dominick Cruz
Heavyweight
- Francis Ngannou vs. Jairzinho Rozenstruik
Featherweight
- Jeremy Stephens vs. Calvin Kattar
Heavyweight
- Greg Hardy vs. Yorgan De Castro
