UFC Apex Hits 100: Is This the Future of Fight Events?

The UFC Apex facility in Las Vegas has quietly marked its 100th event, becoming an integral part of the fight world’s new era. With the pandemic reshaping the sports landscape during 2020, the UFC Apex quickly rose in prominence. Once just a curious structure UFC enthusiasts saw sitting in the shadows of the company’s offices next to the technologically extravagant UFC Performance Institute, the Apex has now become the hub where the sport of mixed martial arts (MMA) regularly flourishes. As the UFC continues to grow, questions remain: Is UFC Apex the future of fighting events? And what are the pros and cons of this unique venue?

In this article, we’ll dive deep into the rise of the UFC Apex, break down the advantages it offers, weigh the drawbacks, and assess whether this intimate setting for fight fans is the new model for how we watch MMA.

The Origins and Rise of UFC Apex

UFC Apex, which opened in 2019, wasn’t initially expected to become the UFC’s centerpiece for hosting events. Built with purpose but initially planned to be a complement to mega arenas and international spectacles, it was the pandemic that forced UFC President Dana White and the organization to adapt, dramatically increasing its relevance. With no choice but to pivot, closed-door events inside the UFC Apex provided a unique solution at a precarious moment in global sports history.

Located next door to the organization’s headquarters in Las Vegas, the 130,000 square-foot facility is a compact, minimalist playground specifically designed for high-profile events. With cutting-edge broadcasting technology and significant control over its fights’ production environment, UFC Apex became the destination for everything UFC — at least during the pandemic. And while arenas were barren, Apex delivered a product that kept fight fans engaged, issuing fight cards week after week that felt uniquely intimate — almost like peeking into a secret combat laboratory.

Pros of UFC Apex as a Fight Venue

After reaching its 100th milestone, it’s worth reflecting on what the UFC Apex has contributed and why it might stick around:

The UFC Apex fosters an unusually intimate environment. With limited seating capacity compared to large arenas, the energy, when fans are allowed back in, feels concentrated. Fighters are closer to one another — and to the few fans, fighters’ teams, and UFC staff in attendance. This creates a unique, almost claustrophobic intensity that is hard to replicate in a 20,000-seat venue. Some fans have even compared it to watching classic underground combat events.

UFC Apex is completely tailored for television and streaming broadcasts. UFC has complete control of the production — from camera angles to speedy post-fight interviews. This focused control gives the UFC a seamless ability to present its product in pristine quality without external disruptions that often arise in larger venues. Additionally, UFC’s with production partner ESPN, ensures that the viewing experience remains fluid, organized, and optimized for digital consumption.

By utilizing UFC Apex for back-to-back fight nights, the organization saves significantly on operating costs. Traveling to different cities in the U.S. or international locations incurs enormous expenses, from logistics to security, fighter transportation, setup fees, and more. With Apex, fighters essentially pit-stop in Vegas with minimal fuss, something the UFC can continue capitalizing on post-pandemic.

Cons of UFC Apex as a Fight Venue

While the UFC Apex has much going for it, there are notable drawbacks that could make it less than ideal as a permanent fixture.

UFC fights are not just about the action in the cage; they’re about the spectacle — the roar of 20,000 fans chanting in unison, the buzz outside the venue before the main event, interactions with fans, and the larger cultural moment. UFC Apex’s size and design don’t replicate that energy. The payoff of big fights is sometimes lost when you know it’s happening in a largely secluded environment. Imagine Conor McGregor vs. Khabib Nurmagomedov inside UFC Apex instead of the 18,000-seat stadium that hosted it — the event would’ve seemed smaller, losing some of its grandeur.

The UFC’s global reach is vast, and the organizations rely on its ability to bring events to new cities around the world — to engage fans in those locations, build brand loyalty, interact with sponsors, and, of course, cash in on the regions’ local markets. Even if events could stream to 100 countries, the sheer energy of ‘bringing the UFC experience’ to Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and beyond, cannot be ignored. Apex simply doesn’t allow that type of fan engagement. Further established venues provide the chance for UFC to build a closer fan base and sustain excitement among local supporters.

Though the Apex has cut production costs and increased control, fights at the Apex can sometimes feel repetitive from a visual perspective. The repetition of similar background setups and lighting — week after week — makes it difficult to distinguish one fight from the next. UFC events held inside an arena are part of the pageantry, each city, each location manifesting its own unique energy. However, Apex can’t offer this distinct flair.

Is UFC Apex the Future of Fight Events or Just a Temporary Solution?

So, what does the future hold for the UFC Apex? While the compact venue has proven instrumental post-pandemic, the UFC needs to balance its utility with full-scale, global events. The Apex isn’t where your McGregor-level superstars should consistently fight, but it has proven its place for Fight Night cards, Contender Series events, or lower-stakes matchups that don’t require the bells and whistles of a massive arena.

Dana White has hinted that UFC Apex is here to stay. Yet, its future role likely lies in providing consistent, high-quality weekly content for the UFC machine, while the organization saves its massive production efforts for pay-per-views and international events. The convenience, cost-effectiveness, and high-level production features the UFC Apex offers make it a valuable resource. However, it’ll remain as a complement, not the centerpiece, for UFC’s efforts to cement itself as the preeminent global player in combat sports.

The Takeaway

UFC Apex has met the moment, particularly when the sport became pivotal through the pandemic. Still, it’s unlikely to entirely replace traditional, large-scale fight environments. Fans of the sport grow from intimate exchanges, but the colossal roars of enthusiastic crowds and the magic of hosting fights in iconic venues worldwide are irreplaceable components of the UFC’s DNA.

For the foreseeable future, UFC Apex will remain a key piece of the UFC ecosystem, and perhaps the model for how smaller-scale productions are handled. But mixed martial arts is an ever-evolving sport, and its future remains multifaceted, focusing both on intimate battles at UFC Apex and unforgettable mega-events among tens of thousands of roaring fans.

In summary, UFC Apex might be part of the future, but it’s not the future of fight events — it’s simply one important facet in the broader MMA landscape.