Top UFC events of 2026 so far 📺🔥 According to ratings from @verdictmma app: 1. UFC Freedom 250: 9.59 🥇 2. UFC 331: Van vs. Pantoja 2: 9.06 🥈 3. Medić vs. Rodriguez: 8.83 🥉 4. Nurmagomedov vs. Song: 8.70 🏅 5. UFC 328: Chimaev vs. Strickland: 8.64 6. UFC 327: Procházka vs. Ulberg: 8.54 7. Adesanya vs. Pyfer: 8.51 8. Hernandez vs. Rodrigues: 8.29 9. UFC 324: Gaethje vs. Pimblett: 7.78 10. Della Maddalena vs. Prates: 7.76 Which card has been your No. 1 this year? 👀
Fan ratings compiled by the Verdict MMA app have crowned UFC Freedom 250 as the top-rated UFC event of 2026 so far, with the card earning a score of 9.59 out of ten — the highest mark on a list of ten events released ahead of the fall calendar.
The rankings, shared on social media on September 21, reflect aggregate audience scores rather than official UFC metrics, offering a grassroots measure of which cards resonated most with viewers this year.
UFC 331, headlined by a rematch between Alexandre Pantoja and Alexa Van, came in second at 9.06, suggesting the flyweight title fight delivered on its expectations. A card featuring Medić against Rodriguez placed third with an 8.83, while Nurmagomedov versus Song checked in at fourth with 8.70.
The middle of the list was anchored by two numbered events: UFC 328 — Chimaev versus Strickland — at 8.64, and UFC 327 — Procházka versus Ulberg — at 8.54. A bout between Adesanya and Pyfer scored 8.51, followed by Hernandez versus Rodrigues at 8.29.
The bottom two entries on the list, UFC 324's Gaethje versus Pimblett pairing at 7.78 and Della Maddalena versus Prates at 7.76, still represent competitive scores on what appears to be a closely bunched year of events, with fewer than two full points separating the tenth-place card from the first.
Why it matters
- Audience-driven ratings platforms like Verdict MMA offer a fan-first alternative to traditional viewership data
- The tight spread across all ten events suggests 2026 has delivered consistent card quality rather than one or two standout outliers
- Multiple title rematches and high-profile matchups dominate the upper half of the list, reflecting fan appetite for marquee continuations
