Getty Tony Ferguson will take on Justin Gaethje in UFC 249's headlining bout Saturday.
The UFC returns to action Saturday, May 9, 2020, in Jacksonville, Florida with an exciting card headlined by Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje.
The prelims (6 p.m. ET start time) can watched on ESPN or ESPN+, while the main PPV card (10 p.m. ET) can only be ordered through ESPN+. Pricing of the PPV depends on whether or not you’re already an ESPN+ subscriber, so here’s a full rundown of your options:
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How to Buy UFC 249 If You Don’t Have ESPN+
You can get a special bundle deal that includes a one-year subscription to ESPN+ ($49.99 value) and UFC 249 ($64.99 value) for $84.98, which works out to about 26 percent savings:
Or, if you want to purchase them separately, you can first subscribe to a month of ESPN+ right here ($4.99 for ESPN+, or $12.99 for a bundle of ESPN+, Hulu and Disney+), and then follow the below directions for existing ESPN+ subscribers.
However, with the amount of UFC (and other sports) content on ESPN+, most MMA fans are probably going to keep ESPN+ long-term, meaning the value of the bundle is the better way to go if you don’t already have ESPN+.
How to Buy UFC 249 If You Already Have ESPN+
Current ESPN+ subscribers can purchase the UFC 249 PPV by itself right here. Make sure you’re logged into your ESPN+ account, then select the “Only looking for UFC 249? Get it for $64.99 here” link:
Additionally, if you want the special bundle price, you can still get it even if you’re already an ESPN+ subscriber. The only difference is instead of starting a new ESPN+ subscription, you’ll just extend your current subscription by a year and get the UFC 249 PPV for a total of $84.98. You can get that bundle right here:
Where to Watch UFC 249
Once you’re signed up for ESPN+ and you’ve purchased the PPV, there are a number of different ways you can watch Ferguson vs Gaethje and the complete UFC 249 main card.
You can watch the fights on your computer via ESPN.com, or you can watch on your phone (Android and iPhone compatible), tablet, Roku, Amazon Fire TV, Apple TV, Chromecast, PlayStation 4, Xbox One, or other compatible streaming device via the ESPN app.
For all of those options, you’ll need to sign in with your ESPN+ account to watch both the prelims (ESPN+) and the main card (ESPN+ PPV).
UFC 249 Preview
Tony Ferguson and Justin Gaethje will square off in a lightweight division bout that will be one of the most highly anticipated fights on the card. Ferguson is the favorite here, but not by much. It has been eight years since Ferguson had fallen in defeat, but he also hasn’t fought in nearly a year, so this one could get interesting. The winner of this bout will earn the division’s interim title, along with the chance to take on Khabib Nurmagomedov, UFC’s lightweight champion.
Nurmagomedov seems to be the one on Ferguson’s mind of late, however. “F— Khabib,” Ferguson said in an expletive-filled rant earlier this week. “I’m defending my belt for the third time. This is for the real belt, this is not for an interim title. This is for the real championship b—.”
For his part, Gaethje is taking a more measured approach. “The interim belt means for me that you’ll be recognized as the No. 2 man in the world,” Gaethje said. “Khabib can’t fight right now, so these are the two baddest men in the weight class fighting this weekend for the right to call themselves the best then ultimately challenge Khabib. I think we’re fighting for the opportunity to represent America against Khabib. That’s what I’m fighting for.”
Other featured fights on the UFC 249 card include:
- 1. Ryan Span and veteran Sam Alvey will kick things off with a light heavyweight matchup.
2. Bantamweight champion Henry Cejudo will take on Dominick Cruz.
3. Francis Ngannou and Jairzinho Rozenstruik will face off in the heavyweight bout on the card.
4. Jeremy Stephens and Calvin Kattar will face off in this featherweight fight that promises to deliver the goods. Stephens hasn’t won in his last three fights, and Kattar is the favorite having gone 2-1 in his last three bouts, but it should still be a action-packed fight.
5. Former NFL player Greg Hardy will take on Yorgan De Castro in a heavyweight showdown.
6. Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone and Anthony Pettis will also face off inside the Octagon. Cerrone and Pettis last fought each other in 2013, so this could be an intriguing lightweight matchup.
7. Two of the sports cagiest veterans square off when Aleksei Oleinik fights Fabricio Werdum in this heavyweight showdown.
8. Carla Esparza and Michelle Watterson, ranked No. 7 and No. 8 in the nation respectively, will be featured in this strawweight division battle.
9. Ronaldo “Jacare” Souza returns to the 185-pound ranks and will battle former TUF standout Uriah Hall in the Octagon.
10. Vicente Luque and Niko Price will be featured in a welterweight rematch of their fight over two years ago.
11. Featherweight Bryce Mitchell looks for his fourth UFC win in a row against Charles Rosa.