UFC targeting ‘fewer events’ at APEX in 2025 with plans to hold more international shows

As the UFC prepares for an ambitious year ahead with a new broadcast deal on the horizon, the company is also starting to venture away from the UFC APEX for more and more shows moving forward.

On Wednesday during a financial call with investors, TKO Group Holdings chief financial officer Andrew Schleimer revealed plans for the UFC to hit more international locations in 2025 while advising that the overall profit margin changes for those events because of cost control at the UFC APEX. While the promotion has never detailed exactly how much cost goes into an APEX event, the UFC spends far less money putting on those shows than traveling to locations across the U.S. and internationally.

“In 2025, we expect to hold fewer events at APEX in Las Vegas,” Schleimer said in a prepared statement. “While the calendar for the full year isn’t finalized, we expected to host a higher number of international events as compared to 2024. While these events are expected to result in increased revenue, they have a lower margin profile as compared to APEX events.”

The UFC initially started holding events at the APEX during the global pandemic with the promotion using the in-house facility as a way to showcase fights without risking potential COVID outbreaks. Even after the pandemic ended, the UFC continued holding events at the APEX because the costs involved were so much lower, especially with a full production facility inside the same building in Las Vegas.

Later in the call, Schleimer specifically mentioned that three UFC APEX events would be shifting to international locations in 2025, although he didn’t say where those cards might end up.

The UFC has already started expanding into more international locations after striking a deal with Saudi Arabia to bring events there with two cards already happening in 2024 and 2025. That relationship is expected to continue moving forward this year.

In addition to the UFC Fight Night events, which are the only cards held at APEX, the promotion also recently announced plans to return to Montreal for the first time in several years with UFC 315 scheduled there in May.

The full slate of events for UFC hasn’t been announced yet but as the company continues negotiations on a new broadcast rights deal that kicks off in 2026, it’s possible the total number of cards in 2025 and 2026 could increase compared to previous years.