2023 in UFC

The year 2023 was the 30th year in the history of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a mixed martial arts promotion based in the United States.

UFC merged with WWE to form TKO Group
In April 2023, Endeavor Group Holdings announced that UFC would merge with the wrestling promotion WWE to form TKO Group Holdings, a new Public company company majority-owned by Endeavor, with Vince McMahon serving as an executive chairman of the new entity and White remaining as UFC president. The merger was completed on September 12, 2023.

Class action: anti-trust lawsuit
On August 9, 2023, U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware decided to grant class action status to more than 1,200 former UFC fighters who competed between December 2010 and June 2017 who are suing upward of for 1.6 billions in wages that the lawsuit claims Zuffa had abused its power to suppress UFC fighters' wages, setting the stage on 8, April, 2024 trial.

Betting scandal
In early February 2023 UFC introduced rules that banned athletes, coaches, and their close family from betting on UFC events. after the call for a sports betting fraud investigation was made on a fight involving Darrick Minner a student of James Krause, who is a UFC coach and avid bettor, and Shayilan Nuerdanbieke at UFC Fight Night: Rodriguez vs. Lemos. The UFC was informed by sources that suspicious betting patterns had been observed on the fight.

USADA anti-doping partnership (2015–2024)
The UFC's partnership with USADA coming to an end in 2023, the UFC announced a new partnership with Drug Free Sport International, the same company that oversees the anti-doping programs of the NCAA, MLB, NFL, and NBA. This partnership is set to begin in 2024, after their current contract with USADA expired on December 31, 2023. The UFC announced that former FBI agent George Piro would serve as the independent administrator of the UFC's anti-doping program.

2023 by the numbers
The numbers below records the events, fights, techniques and fighters held or performed for the year of 2020 in UFC.

Releases and retirements
These fighters have either been released from their UFC contracts, announced their retirement or joined other promotions:


 * Aaron Phillips – Released in June – Bantamweight
 * AJ Fletcher – Released in October – Welterweight
 * Alejandro Pérez – Released in January – Featherweight
 * Aleksa Camur – Released in August – Light Heavyweight
 * Amanda Nunes – Retired in June – Women's Bantamweight
 * André Fialho – Released in October – Welterweight
 * Ashlee Evans-Smith – Released in August – Women's Bantamweight
 * Ashley Yoder – Released in October – Women's Flyweight
 * Austin Lingo – Released in December – Featherweight
 * Augusto Sakai – Released in March – Heavyweight
 * Braxton Smith – Released in June – Heavyweight
 * Bea Malecki – Released in June – Women's Bantamweight
 * Blagoy Ivanov – Released in July – Heavyweight
 * Brandon Davis – Released in January – Bantamweight
 * Carlos Mota – Released in February – Flyweight
 * Charles Rosa – Released in August – Featherweight
 * Chase Sherman – Released in May – Heavyweight
 * Chris Daukaus – Released in August – Light Heavyweight
 * Cynthia Calvillo – Released in April – Women's Strawweight
 * Danaa Batgerel – Released in June – Bantamweight
 * Damir Ismagulov – Released in July – Lightweight
 * Darren Till – Released in March – Middleweight
 * Derek Brunson – Released in September – Middleweight
 * Don Shainis- Released in June – Featherweight
 * Ed Herman – Retired in April – Light Heavyweight
 * Erick Gonzalez – Released in June – Lightweight
 * Francis Ngannou – Released in January – Heavyweight
 * Francisco Trinaldo – Released in January – Welterweight
 * Gadzhi Omargadzhiev – Released in January – Welterweight
 * Glover Teixeira – Retired in January – Light Heavyweight
 * Guido Cannetti – Released in March – Bantamweight
 * Hannah Goldy Released in October – Women's Strawweight
 * Ian Heinisch – Retired in August – Middleweight
 * Ilir Latifi – End of Contract – Heavyweight
 * Jay Perrin – Released in January – Bantamweight
 * Jake Collier – Released in October – Heavyweight
 * Jennifer Maia – End of contract – Women's Flyweight
 * Jinh Yu Frey – Released in October – Women's Strawweight
 * Ji Yeon Kim – Released in May – Women's Flyweight
 * Jessica-Rose Clark – Released in May – Women's Bantamweight
 * John Makdessi – Released in October – Lightweight
 * Johnny Muñoz Jr. – Released in December – Bantamweight
 * Jordan Wright – Released in February – Light Heavyweight
 * Joseph Holmes – Released in June – Middleweight
 * Jorge Masvidal – Retired in April – Welterweight
 * José Johnson – Released in March – Bantamweight
 * Journey Newson – Released in June – Featherweight
 * JP Buys- Released in October – Bantamweight
 * Juan Espino – Retired in April – Heavyweight
 * Kanako Murata – Released in November – Women's Strawweight
 * Kamuela Kirk – Released in October – Lightweight
 * Kevin Natividad – Released in January – Bantamweight
 * Kyle Daukaus – Released in January – Middleweight
 * Leah Letson – Retired in January – Women's Featherweight
 * Leomana Martinez – Released in March – Bantamweight
 * Lina Länsberg – Retired in February – Women's Bantamweight
 * Liudvik Sholinian – Released in January – Bantamweight
 * Mike Mathetha – Released in October – Welterweight|
 * Makwan Amirkhani- Released in June – Featherweight
 * Mandy Böhm – Released in August – Women's Flyweight
 * Maria Oliveira – Released in June – Women's Strawweight
 * Martin Sano Jr. – Released in June – Welterweight
 * Marcelo Rojo – Released in January – Featherweight
 * Maurício Rua – Retired in January – Light Heavyweight
 * Maxim Grishin – Released in June – Light Heavyweight
 * Michael Trizano – Released in January – Featherweight
 * Mike Breeden – Released in October – Lightweight
 * Mike Jackson – Released in January – Welterweight
 * Mounir Lazzez – Released in June – Welterweight
 * Nick Aguirre – Released in December – Bantamweight
 * Nick Fiore – Released in June – Lightweight
 * Omar Morales – Released in June – Lightweight
 * Orion Cosce – Released in June – Welterweight
 * Parker Porter – Released in December – Heavyweight
 * Raphael Assuncao – Retired in March – Bantamweight
 * Rafael Alves – Released in March – Lightweight
 * Raulian Paiva – Released in January – Bantamweight
 * Robbie Lawler – Retired in July – Welterweight
 * Ronnie Lawrence – Retirement – Bantamweight
 * Saidyokub Kakhramonov – Released in January – Bantamweight
 * Shamil Abdurakhimov – Released in January – Heavyweight
 * Sijara Eubanks – Released in January – Women's Flyweight
 * Shane Young – Released in October – Featherweight
 * Victor Rodriguez – Released in January – Flyweight
 * Vince Morales – Released in January – Bantamweight
 * Steven Peterson – Retired in March – Featherweight
 * Saidyokub Kakhramonov – Released in January – Bantamweight
 * Shannon Ross – Released in December – Flyweight
 * William Knight – Released in February – Light Heavyweight
 * Tafon Nchukwi – Released in August – Middleweight
 * Taila Santos – Released in November – Women's Flyweight
 * Takashi Sato- Released in June – Welterweight
 * Tanner Boser – Released in August – Light Heavyweight
 * Terrence Mitchell – Released in December – Bantamweight
 * Tony Gravely – Released in June – Bantamweight
 * Trevin Jones – Released in June – Bantamweight
 * Tucker Lutz – Released in October – Featherweight
 * Zak Cummings – Retired in April – Light Heavyweight
 * Zubaira Tukhugov – Released in March – Featherweight
 * Zhalgas Zhumagulov – Released in July – Flyweight
 * The Korean Zombie – Retired in August – Featherweight
 * Zarah Fairn – Released in September – Women's Featherweight

Debut UFC fighters
The following fighters fought their first UFC fight in 2023:


 * Anshul Jubli – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Bassil Hafez – UFC on ESPN 49
 * Blake Bilder – UFC 284
 * Bo Nickal – UFC 285
 * Bogdan Guskov – UFC Fight Night 226
 * Brendan Marotte – UFC Fight Night 230
 * Brunno Ferreira – UFC 283
 * Caio Machado – UFC Fight Night 232
 * Carl Deaton III – UFC Fight Night 220
 * Choi Seung-guk – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Christian Leroy Duncan – UFC Fight Night 232
 * Claudio Ribeiro – UFC Fight Night 217
 * Clayton Carpenter – UFC Fight Night 219
 * Daniel Marcos – UFC 283
 * Dennis Buzukja – UFC on ESPN 50
 * Diego Lopes – UFC 288
 * Edgar Cháirez – UFC 290
 * Eduarda Moura – UFC Fight Night 231
 * Elves Brener – UFC 284
 * Felipe dos Santos – UFC 293
 * Francisco Prado – UFC 284
 * Gabriel Bonfim – UFC 283
 * Gabriella Fernandes – UFC Fight Night 220
 * Ikram Aliskerov – UFC 288
 * Irina Alekseeva – UFC on ESPN 45
 * Isaac Dulgarian – UFC on ESPN 51
 * Ismael Bonfim – UFC 283
 * Ivana Petrović – UFC on ESPN 48
 * Jack Jenkins – UFC 284
 * Jafel Filho – UFC 286
 * Jamal Pogues – UFC Fight Night 219
 * Jamey-Lyn Horth – UFC on ESPN 45
 * Jeka Saragih – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Jesús Santos Aguilar – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Joanderson Brito – UFC Fight Night 232<
 * Jose Johnson – UFC on ESPN 51
 * Joshua Van – UFC 295
 * Kauê Fernandes – UFC Fight Night 231
 * Kaynan Kruschewsky – UFC Fight Night 231
 * Kevin Borjas – UFC 295
 * Kevin Jousset – UFC 293
 * Khusein Askhabov – UFC Fight Night 219
 * Kiefer Crosbie – UFC 293
 * Lee Jeong-yeong – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Luan Lacerda – UFC 283 UFC 283
 * Luana Santos – UFC on ESPN 51
 * Mateus Mendonça – UFC Fight Night 217
 * Mateusz Rębecki – UFC Fight Night 217
 * Melissa Dixon – UFC Fight Night 230
 * Melquizael Costa – UFC 283
 * Michael Parkin – UFC Fight Night 232
 * Mohammad Yahya – UFC 294
 * Montserrat Rendon – UFC Fight Night 228
 * Muhammad Naimov – UFC on ESPN 46
 * Muin Gafurov – UFC 294
 * Myktybek Orolbai – UFC Fight Night 232
 * Nazim Sadykhov – UFC Fight Night 219
 * Nick Aguirre – UFC Fight Night 217
 * Nick Fiore – UFC Fight Night 217
 * Nursulton Ruziboev - UFC on ESPN 48
 * Nurullo Aliev – UFC Fight Night 220
 * Park Hyun-sung – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Payton Talbott – UFC Fight Night 232
 * Rafael Estevam – UFC Fight Night 232
 * Ravena Oliveira – UFC Fight Night 230
 * Rayanne dos Santos – UFC Fight Night 233
 * Rinya Nakamura – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Rodolfo Bellato – UFC on ESPN 52
 * Sedriques Dumas – UFC Fight Night 221
 * Shamil Gaziev – UFC 296
 * Shannon Ross – UFC 284
 * Steve Erceg – UFC 286
 * Tainara Lisboa – UFC on ABC 4
 * Talita Alencar – UFC Fight Night 233
 * Themba Gorimbo – UFC Fight Night 219
 * Toshiomi Kazama – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Trevor Peek – UFC Fight Night 220
 * Victor Martinez – UFC Fight Night 220
 * Vitor Petrino – UFC Fight Night 221
 * Westin Wilson - UFC on ESPN 48
 * Yi Zha – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Yusaku Kinoshita – UFC Fight Night 218
 * Zachary Reese – UFC on ESPN 52

Suspended fighters
The list below is based on fighters suspended either by (1) United States Anti-Doping Agency (USADA) or World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) for violation of taking prohibited substances or non-analytical incidents, (2) by local commissions on misconduct during the fights or at event venues, or (3) by the UFC for reasons also stated below.

The Ultimate Fighter
The following The Ultimate Fighter seasons are scheduled for broadcast in 2023: