Paddy Pimblett, the former Cage Warriors Champion, has expressed a strong desire to participate in a one-night UFC tournament, a format largely abandoned since the late 1990s. This comes as part of his broader aspirations beyond capturing undisputed UFC gold. Pimblett, born in 1995, looks back fondly at the early days of the UFC, when fighters battled several times in one evening.
The UFC originally started in 1993 with this intense tournament structure, as seen in UFC 1, where Royce Gracie fought and won three bouts in a single night without gloves, limited rules, or time constraints. However, the UFC discontinued one-night tournaments after UFC 23 in 1999, prioritizing fighter safety.
Reflecting on this, Pimblett shared on the Chattin’ Pony Podcast,
“I didn’t start fighting pro MMA until like 2012, 2013,”
and added,
“I’ve always wanted to do a one-night tournament, always,”
emphasizing how rare such events have become. He said,
“But now it doesn’t happen… I wish they would. I wish they’d do a tournament. I’d love to have three fights in one night or even just two, but they just don’t do it anymore.”
He described the idea as “just unheard of,” highlighting how the UFC no longer embraces the format where fighters could compete multiple times in one evening.
Former Champion Dan Henderson Backs Potential Revival of One-Night Events
Dan Henderson, a retired Strikeforce and PRIDE Champion with firsthand experience fighting multiple bouts in one night, believes the UFC could bring back the one-night tournament format. Henderson, who won three fights in one night to claim a title in Japan in 2000, also fought twice in a single night on three other occasions during his career.
He discussed the possibility with Pimblett, stating,
“It would be nice for them,”
and insisted,
“They could easily do it. It might not happen in America, but other countries would allow it.”
Henderson added his surprise over why the United States might block such events, saying,
“I don’t know why they wouldn’t allow it here.”
He referenced the UFC’s reality show format in The Ultimate Fighter, which implements a modified tournament structure with shortened fights, remarking,
“They do it kinda that way in The Ultimate Fighter, they only have two rounds, possible three. That’s how that tournament I was in was…”
The Future of One-Night UFC Tournaments and Their Feasibility
Pimblett’s enthusiasm for a one-night UFC tournament comes despite UFC President Dana White’s likely opposition, who reportedly did not favor Pimblett’s recent intense face-off. For Pimblett, earning another fight to secure a title shot remains the current pathway, but his longing for a revival of the one-night format signals a nostalgic hope for a return to the sport’s earlier, more grueling days.
The potential reintroduction of this tournament style would mark a significant shift in modern mixed martial arts competition, testing fighters’ endurance and skill in a way largely unseen for over two decades. With voices like Dan Henderson’s supporting the idea and Pimblett’s growing popularity, one-night UFC tournaments could resurface in select countries, reviving a historic tradition that fans and fighters once thrived on.