How to Host the Ultimate Fight Night Viewing Party

If you weren’t lucky enough to score ufc tickets this round, you can still make the event one to remember by hosting your own Ultimate Fight Night viewing party!

In a perfect world you would attend every fight in person but hosting a UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) party can be almost as fun. It is a great way to bring together UFC fans and talk about past and upcoming matches.

Here are a few tips to help prioritize what you should and should not have on hand to host the ultimate (pardon the redundancy), UFC viewing party.

Guest List

That saying it’s not the quantity, but the quality that matters. The same holds true when planning a very event specific party such as one to view UFC night! Of course, you want to invite friends who you know will truly love the game and not expect the evening to turn into a couples' dinner party with charades.

That said, you should also invite your friends’ significant others if applicable. After all, you wouldn’t want a true fan of UFC to turn down your invitation because they are worried about their spouse not feeling welcome.

Decide to Split Pay-Per-View (or not)

The concept of splitting the cost of the pay-per-view charge for a UFC event is a little foreign to me, I must admit. I have never attended a Super Bowl party and been expected to contribute anything more than a 6-pack of my host’s favorite beer.

However, UFD fans do often split the fees. The host of the party needs to decide in advance whether that will be a stipulation of the party. It doesn’t have to be super format or intrusive. If you want your guests to contribute to the pay-per-view fee, there are several ways to approach it.

You can use an app with the party invite where guests can pay even before they show up for the party! If the desire is to collect cash directly, place a money box near the door (or next to the booze) where you are sure all your guests will see it. Placing it by the door ensures they won’t forget before they leave.

It’s also ok to collect the fees during the party. A great tip is to have an outgoing guest or friend pass a hat around to collect. A good host will accept the fact that they may not get as much as they hope, but plan for that and not have high expectations.

However, if a guest completely takes advantage, you may want to re-think inviting them for the next UFC event.

Tech Matters

If you are the host of the party, you have GOT to have a good TV or projector. Look at it this way, none of you got UFC tickets for this event, so a viewing party is the next best thing. If you have a 32” inch black and white, that’s not going to cut it.

While it’s not expected that you go out and buy a projection screen for a simple UFC Friday night viewing party, the screen should be proportional to the space and allow all your guests to have an unobstructed view. Otherwise, why wouldn’t they just stay home and watch it themselves?

It’s a great idea to take your tech for a test run before the big event. Make sure you’ve paid your bill, that your cords haven’t been chewed by your pet rabbit, and make sure your pay-per-view purchase is complete. Your guests will appreciate the dependability of your tech when it comes to UFC viewing night.

Eats

Contrary to what some believe, the cuisine at tailgating and UFC viewing parties is second to none. While the theme is generally “pub-food casual,” there’s no reason why the eats can’t be a little unique.

Why not make something the UFC fighters would recommend? A good, layered dip with cheese, beans, and avocado is a must-have for any UFC viewing party. Use it with any chips you want, although the best are Tostito’s scoops.

Pizza and hot dogs also made the pro’s favored list. When it comes to party food, it doesn’t get much tastier or easier! A few pizzas can appease the most diverse crowd. If it’s the right season, turn the UFC viewing party into a BBQ and grill up the hot dogs outside (or over a fire-pit). It should be noted if you are extending the viewing to the outdoor area, the TV or another TV should be places in clear view!

Last Thoughts Before the Fight

Being the host of a UFC viewing party can be very rewarding. Overall, don’t complicate things. Focus on who attends, what you eat and how you “view,” and your party will be the ultimate experience.