UFC gives glimpse at content plan, pricing for new ‘Fight Pass’ digital network

The UFC’s new digital network won’t be officially unveiled by the promotion until later this week, with a full launch ready for the start of 2014.

But while the finer points of the details are still to be revealed, the network has a name: “UFC Fight Pass.” And it also has a price.

UFC Fight Pass will cost subscribers $9.99 per month, according to an official UFC website that went live on Sunday. Twitter user @rossfinkelstein tweeted out a screengrab of the site overnight.

What are you going to get for your monthly Hamilton? The site currently boasts four content categories: live events, event replays and UFC fight library, TV shows and original content.

Arguably the most important category for die-hard MMA fans will be the live events portion. That’s where the promotion will air select “Fight Night” cards, live and in full. By and large, these are expected to be events that take place outside the United States, and two of them have already been booked.

UFC Fight Night 34, which takes place Jan. 4 in Singapore, will stream live on UFC Fight Pass. In addition, the promotion is planning to put its March 8 “Fight Night” card in London on the digital platform.

UFC President Dana White recently told MMAjunkie the company plans closer to 50 events worldwide in 2014. That’s potentially up roughly 50 percent from the 33 that will take place in 2013. (White talks about the digital network in the video above around the 1:50 mark.)

Where the digital platform will be important is being able to hold live events around the world that make sense for the in-person audiences from a start-time standpoint, and aren’t being backed into a prime-time TV spot for the U.S. market.

For UFC Fight Night 34 in Singapore next month, prelims start at 7:30 p.m. locally, which means 6:30 a.m. ET in the States – not exactly TV friendly. But diehards will be able to watch the fights live on UFC Fight Pass – or watch them later on the digital network, as well.

Events will continue to air on pay-per-view, FOX, FOX Sports 1 and FOX Sports 2 in 2014, of course, but some of the UFC’s international events are geared toward region-specific audiences.

“People don’t understand … the fights that we do in China are for China,” White told MMAjunkie. “The fights we do in Europe are going to be for Europe. But with this new digital network that we’re launching, people who are hardcore fans and want to watch the fights will be able to. It’s a completely new experience because what it’s going to be based around is live fights. Obviously, you’re going to have access to the library and lots of other programming that’s going to be on the network, but there’s going to be a ridiculous amount of live fights.”

The event replays and fight library section of the site promises “the world’s most extensive MMA library,” and will include not just UFC fights, but PRIDE, the WEC and Strikeforce, as well.

Past episodes of “The Ultimate Fighter,” “UFC Unleashed” and “Best of PRIDE” will be among the highlights in the UFC’s TV category. And, similar to the regular original web content the UFC currently releases, that category is touting “exclusive original programs, special features, in-depth interviews and up-to-the-minute reports from events around the globe.”

A full unveiling of UFC Fight Pass currently is scheduled for media members later this week prior to UFC 168, which takes place at MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, and more details on the service are expected then.

For the latest on the UFC’s upcoming schedule, stay tuned to the UFC Rumors section of the site.