The UFC proudly calls itself the “fastest-growing sport in the world.” But the truth? It’s not just the fights pulling fans in—it’s the chaos outside the cage. Over the years, the UFC has seen cheating scandals, rigged decisions, backstage brawls, and moments so wild they could pass for reality TV.
From political battles to post-fight melees, here are the most controversial moments in UFC history.
The Time UFC Was Nearly Banned in the U.S.
In 1996, U.S. Senator John McCain saw a UFC tape and called it “human cockfighting.” He wasn’t alone—critics slammed the sport as too violent, too dangerous, and unsuitable for TV. McCain pushed hard to ban it, sending letters to governors nationwide. As a result, 36 states outlawed the sport, and cable companies pulled it from pay-per-view.
To survive, the UFC reinvented itself. It introduced gloves, weight classes, banned headbutts and groin shots, and adopted a scoring system. It took two decades, but by 2016, MMA was legal in all 50 states. The final holdout? New York. That year, the UFC sold out Madison Square Garden.
Fighter Pay and Control: A Broken System
While other sports leagues share around 50% of revenue with athletes, UFC fighters have reportedly received as little as 16%. Contracts offered no minimum pay, limited freedom, and strict rules on sponsorships and public discussion of pay.
Fighters lost personal sponsorships when the UFC introduced exclusive deals, and many still lack long-term health coverage or pensions. Despite being labeled “independent contractors,” UFC fighters are denied basic employee protections—and attempts to unionize have been aggressively shut down by the organization.
UFC 151: The Event That Never Happened
In 2012, Jon Jones was set to defend his title against Dan Henderson at UFC 151. But when Henderson got injured a week before the fight, the UFC offered Chael Sonnen as a last-minute replacement. Jones declined, citing safety and preparation concerns, and the UFC canceled the entire event.
Dana White didn’t hold back—publicly blaming Jones and his coach, Greg Jackson. But many believed the real issue was a weak undercard. CBS Sports called it “a management failure,” reigniting the call for fighter representation.
Match-Fixing and the Tae Hyun Bang Scandal
In 2015, fighter Tae Hyun Bang accepted bribes to throw a fight. Hours before his bout, suspicious betting patterns alerted the UFC. Bang changed his mind, fought to win, and pulled off a split decision victory. His reward? Death threats and a prison sentence for initially accepting the money. The scandal exposed a lack of safeguards against corruption in the sport.
The Reebok Deal: Uniformity at a Cost
That same year, the UFC signed a controversial gear deal with Reebok. Fighters were promised payouts, but most lost personal sponsorship deals in the process. To make matters worse, Reebok released gear with embarrassing errors—misspelled names and incorrect national flags. It was a PR disaster and a financial blow for many fighters.
UFC vs. the Media: The Helwani Ban
At UFC 199, journalist Ariel Helwani broke the news of Brock Lesnar’s return before the UFC’s official announcement. The response? Helwani and his team were banned “for life.” But the media and fan outcry was swift. Two days later, the UFC lifted the ban. The incident led to the formation of the MMA Journalists Association, highlighting concerns over the UFC’s control of its public narrative.
McGregor vs. Khabib: Chaos Becomes a Selling Point
The rivalry between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov reached a boiling point in 2018. After Khabib’s team confronted McGregor’s friend Artem Lobov, McGregor retaliated by attacking a UFC bus—injuring fighters and canceling fights.
Despite calling it “disgusting,” the UFC used the footage to promote UFC 229. After Khabib submitted McGregor and leapt into the crowd to fight Dillon Danis, chaos broke out inside and outside the cage. Suspensions followed, but UFC 229 broke revenue records—proving that controversy sells.
Charles Oliveira and “Scale Gate”
At UFC 274, Charles Oliveira missed weight by just half a pound and was stripped of his lightweight title. The controversy? Fighters claimed a calibration issue with the scale caused the error. Critics, including former champs, called the decision outrageous. The UFC—not the state commission—made the final call, raising questions about fairness and authority.
UFC 279 Press Conference Brawl
In 2022, UFC 279’s press conference was canceled mid-event after a backstage brawl erupted between Kevin Holland, Khamzat Chimaev, and Nate Diaz’s entourage. Punches, kicks, water bottles—everything flew. The UFC admitted it didn’t have enough security to control the situation, sparking a Nevada Commission investigation.
The Darrick Minner Betting Scandal
On November 5, 2022, Darrick Minner entered a fight with a knee injury—and the sportsbooks knew it. Betting odds shifted heavily toward his opponent winning by first-round TKO. That’s exactly what happened. It was later revealed that Minner’s coach, James Krause, ran a betting-focused Discord and publicly boasted about wagering on fights.
The fallout was massive: Krause was suspended, Minner was cut, and two Canadian provinces temporarily banned UFC betting. The FBI launched an investigation. Only after the scandal did the UFC formally ban fighters and coaches from betting on fights.
Final Thoughts: Is Chaos Just Part of the Brand?
From near extinction to global domination, the UFC has overcome every obstacle in its path. But many of its biggest headlines have come from outside the cage—not inside it.
As controversies continue to stack up, fans are left wondering: Is the UFC losing control of its fighters and its image—or is the chaos just baked into its DNA?
What do you think? Which controversy was the craziest? Or did we miss one? Drop your thoughts below.
