Of all the nice items of artwork — from the Mona Lisa and The Kiss to The Scream and The Beginning of Venus — I believe we are able to all agree that nothing comes near the esthetic of a superbly finished UFC/MMA occasion poster.
And of all the nice artists all through historical past — from Leonardo da Vinci and Vincent van Gogh to Salvador Dali and Pablo Picasso — I believe we are able to all agree that nothing comes near the creators of the UFC’s posters… Okay, which may not be true.
Whereas most main promotions have a generic background for headliners, the UFC produces distinctive posters for all of its occasions. Sadly, plenty of them are negatively obtained by the fanbase, a few of whom truly create higher ones for every card themselves.
However simply how good (or unhealthy) have been the UFC’s choice of occasion paintings in 2024? Let’s discover out by rating all of them — good, unhealthy, and ugly — from worst to finest.
42. UFC 300: Pereira vs. Hill
There will not be sufficient phrases within the English language to do justice to how disastrous this poster really was.
On the face of it, was it the worst design this yr? I’m positive you’ll be seeing at the very least just a few which can be worse. However in relation to the magnitude of the occasion and expectation? I’m unsure a design in sporting historical past has ever fallen to this point brief.
A flag with the occasion title on it. That’s actually it. And it’s even a stretch to name the flag golden. It’s extra a Colman’s English Mustard (different mustard manufacturers can be found) shade of yellow.
I don’t assume we’ve ever thought these accountable for creating UFC posters put a lot effort or time into it. However the truth that a graphic designer managed to recreate the precise design in simply 10 minutes for a YouTube video is fairly damning.
An unbelievable occasion. Undoubtedly the most effective I’ve lined in my profession. However a completely diabolical poster.
41. UFC Battle Night time: Hermansson vs. Pyfer
Excuse me, you’ll be able to’t park there.
The poster for Jack Hermansson vs. Joe Pyfer seems to have stopped in the course of the street. For me within the UK, yellow strains imply no parking zones. A short Google search has taught me that within the Unites States, a stable yellow line signifies that passing is prohibited.
Whereas clearly unintended given how a lot the promotion possible wished Pyfer to win, that’s an unbelievable piece of symbolism. The veteran contender whom many anticipated “Bodybagz” to make his title off of and rise into the rankings on the expense of held his floor and didn’t enable the younger prospect to move.
George Orwell can be proud.
If solely that was deliberate, as a result of the poster is finally rubbish and has solely been saved from backside spot by the UFC 300 travesty.
40. UFC Battle Night time: Rozenstruik vs. Gaziev
One of many worst posters of the yr to accompany the worst most important occasion.
It’s UFC 297 with blue as a substitute of crimson. However to be sincere, I’m unsure I’d attempt to create a great design for this absolute heavyweight slop.
So for that, congratulations. You created a boring poster that completely encapsulates the trouble that went into forming that occasion.
39. UFC Battle Night time: Pereira vs. Hernandez
I’m unsure any poster this yr demonstrates the shortage of creativity most wrestle with fairly like this.
I really feel like I’ve seen this design at the very least 25 instances within the final three years.
38. UFC Battle Night time: Perez vs. Taira
The strip of colour that “flyweight bout” is written on truly seems like an amazing idea for a poster. It’s only a disgrace they determined to go together with 10 % of that and 90 % f**okay all else, should you’ll excuse my French.
37. UFC Battle Night time: Tuivasa vs. Tybura
Erm, are we positive this wasn’t simply taken from the music video for Technotronic’s Pump Up The Jam?! It’s bought to be both that or a graph signaling the epicenter of a hurricane…
36. UFC 304: Edwards vs. Muhammad
This would be the solely poster the place I exploit the vertical model, as a result of the UFC isn’t getting away with the saving grace that comes with panorama.
I’m not one to advocate for sackings, however whoever pitched sideways fighters as a great poster thought wants on the very least a efficiency overview.
Maybe it’s presupposed to symbolize how the headline athletes felt competing at 5 AM within the morning?!
35. UFC Battle Night time: Whittaker vs. Aliskerov
Saudi Arabia = inexperienced.
That’s how I think about the artistic course of for this poster went.
34. UFC Battle Night time: Royval vs. Taira
Poor Tatsuro Taira, man. Give the boy a great poster, dammit!
I don’t hate the colours so, positive, let’s put this greater than Taira’s first headliner of the yr.
33. UFC Battle Night time: Namajunas vs. Cortez
If a poster this yr had any fascinating element in any respect — and didn’t have a background that appears like pores and skin — it’s most likely greater than this…
32. UFC Battle Night time: Lewis vs. Nascimento
What’s it with Derrick Lewis and contour strains?
The poster for “The Black Beast’s” conflict in opposition to Serghei Spivac final yr seemed like some type of terrain information for a mountain vary, and the identical will be stated for his St. Louis battle with Rodrigo Nascimento.
However hey, at the very least the colour scheme is exclusive this time. Each cloud…
31. UFC Battle Night time: Nicolau vs. Perez
This occasion got here one week after UFC 300. This occasion was nowhere close to on the degree of UFC 300. This occasion had a significantly better poster than UFC 300.
Make it make sense.
30. UFC Battle Night time: Ribas vs. Namajunas
Can somebody clarify to me why the black paint covers your complete backside of the poster however stops two thirds of the best way throughout the highest?!
I can’t unsee that.
29. UFC Battle Night time: Ankalaev vs. Walker
I’ve seen worse, a lot worse. However I really feel as if I additionally would have seen comparable posters for a teen-centric vampire tv collection. 5/10, I suppose?
28. UFC Battle Night time: Moreno vs. Royval
Occasions abroad comparable to these in Mexico at all times current alternatives to create eye-catching designs linked to the nation internet hosting Octagon motion. However so far as this yr’s go to to Mexico, barely underwhelming.
It’s not unhealthy, however it feels considerably lazy for the placement.
27. UFC Battle Night time: Magny vs. Prates
My phrase, that could be a luminous font.
If the Stake F1 Workforce had a UFC poster equal, this is able to be it.
26. UFC 309: Jones vs. Miocic
Don’t let your anger at Tom Aspinall not getting the combat affect the place you place this poster. Don’t let your anger at Tom Aspinall not getting the combat affect the place you place this poster. Don’t let your anger at Tom Aspinall not getting the combat affect the place you place this poster.
It wouldn’t be a yr of UFC motion with out at the very least one metropolis skyline getting a glance in. Sadly, this one barely underwhelmed, in the identical approach a champion dealing with an ageing veteran coming off a close to four-year layoff as a substitute of the division’s interim titleholder does.
25. UFC Battle Night time: Covington vs. Buckley
It’s not usually you see orange.
That’s my evaluation for UFC Tampa.
24. UFC Battle Night time: Cannonier vs. Borralho
I do like this poster (general), and it most likely ought to be a lot greater. I simply can’t cease noticing the truth that Caio Borralho’s ear is obvious and Jared Cannonier’s isn’t.
It’s the small issues.
23. UFC Battle Night time: Tybura vs. Spivac 2
That is the type of poster I’d anticipate to see exterior an underground combat membership wherein bails of hay create the ring.
For Central and Japanese European behemoths, it’s applicable.
22. UFC Battle Night time: Lemos vs. Jandiroba
It’s typically troublesome to evaluate a poster for what it’s quite than the fighters who’ve been chosen for it. Amanda Lemos vs. Virna Jandiroba is among the many most questionable most important occasion matchups in latest reminiscence.
The poster itself, nevertheless? Strong futuristic vibes. It bought some slack from the group, however had it been some greater names and faces on it, I think about this is able to have obtained higher evaluations.
21. UFC Battle Night time: Burns vs. Brady
Let’s use some AI to elucidate why this poster isn’t the worst.
“Yellow and blue make a putting mixture, and are sometimes used collectively in design and style. Blue is a cool and calming color, whereas yellow is heat and vibrant. Collectively, they’ll create a way of steadiness and concord.”
Nothing says steadiness and concord like cagefighting.
20. UFC 297: Strickland vs. Du Plessis
I’m hoping the crimson mist between Sean Strickland and Dricus Du Plessis wasn’t meant to be a prediction of a bloody brawl between the pair. Anybody anticipating that of a Strickland combat at this level is sorely mistaken…
That apart, a pleasant colour scheme that makes for a stable design — regardless of the actual fact it possible took all of quarter-hour to create. However hey, at the very least that’s longer than UFC 300!
19. UFC 302: Makhachev vs. Poirier
If vanilla ice cream was a UFC poster.
All people likes it, however no person loves it. On the finish of the day, it’ll do.
18. UFC Battle Night time: Dolidze vs. Imavov
I’m torn. On one hand, it’s completely different. However, the UFC’s graphic designer has introduced in a bit of A4 paper that their child went to city on with some crayons and added the heads of Roman Dolidze and Nassourdine Imavov…
A for creativity. C for supply.
17. UFC Battle Night time: Sandhagen vs. Nurmagomedov
It was a great yr for orange (see UFC Tampa).
16. UFC Battle Night time: Cannonier vs. Imavov
It’s giving cargo ship container.
Some beautiful shadow work although, I need to say.
15. UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree
Simplicity can go one among two methods. On this occasion, I believe it labored.
Black and gold (shoutout Sam Sparro) is difficult to beat as a mixture, and that virtually saves this from steering towards the outright unhealthy part of this listing.
14. UFC Battle Night time: Allen vs. Vettori
Nicely how about that? It’s not usually you see purple.
The design is tremendous easy, but in addition satisfyingly clear. Sharp, that’s the phrase to explain this. Double level for sturdy purple utilization has this poster within the mid vary (it’s saying one thing that we’re approaching the highest 10 and nonetheless describing posters as “mid”).
13. UFC Battle Night time: Blanchfield vs. Fiorot
Any poster that doesn’t observe a ‘select a colour, add fighters dealing with one another’ format tends to search out itself comparatively excessive up this listing, even when they aren’t that spectacular.
That was the case for the Atlantic Metropolis-held occasion this yr, which was stable sufficient with out being particular. Though, I’m unsure concerning the crimson area created within the define of every fighter’s head. It’s given Joaquin Buckley a considerably Vulcan look…
12. UFC Battle Night time: Moreno vs. Albazi
I really feel virtually tied to placing this proper subsequent to UFC Atlantic Metropolis as a result of they’re so comparable. So, which was higher?
Nicely, I desire the blue and black over crimson, and the addition of the matchups in brick-like blocks is a pleasant contact. Oh, and there’s no shoddy Microsoft Paint work with shadows.
11. UFC Battle Night time: Yan vs. Figueiredo
Pink to make the MMA followers wink.
10. UFC Battle Night time: Moicano vs. Saint Denis
I respect the truth that the designer was so determined to sneak the Eiffel Tower in whereas avoiding a cliche “we’re in Paris” poster that they snuck in a little bit drawing within the backside nook.
I’m a fan of rippy posters — to make use of a technical time period. With that, it’s a disgrace Imavov and Brendan Allen block the underside of it, however this design remains to be good nonetheless.
9. UFC Battle Night time: Barboza vs. Murphy
We regularly get two to 4 large heads plastered on posters, so it was refreshing to see half-body Edson Barboza and Lerone Murphy donning a cracked wall for his or her Apex-held UFC Battle Night time most important occasion.
8. UFC 306: O’Malley vs. Dvalishvili
I’m not one to query anyone’s selection of tattoo, however the inexperienced “Suga” ink on Sean O’Malley’s face will get a distinguished look right here…
Nonetheless, the poster itself was one of many yr’s strongest, largely due to the glimpse of the Sphere on the backside. Mainly, numerous golden spherical strains equals one thing appropriate for such an occasion.
7. UFC 310: Pantoja vs. Asakura
“I’m a fan of rippy posters” – Harvey Leonard, two posters up.
6. UFC 299: O’Malley vs. Vera
Eye. Catching.
UFC 299 was one of the vital stacked and extremely anticipated occasions of the yr. And in considerably of a rarity, the poster design matched the event. The gold glints are cool, however how concerning the shining define of the fighters?
Dustin Poirier actually was shining vivid like a…you recognize the remaining.
5. UFC 308: Topuria vs. Holloway
This poster virtually has a stained glass window have an effect on to it, type of akin to what you’d see behind the alter in a church.
I’m not a spiritual man, however Ilia Topuria vs. Max Holloway was such a great matchup that I’d fortunately pray to a better energy if knelt beneath this design.
4. UFC 303: Pereira vs. Procházka 2
I didn’t assume a lot of this poster when it was Conor McGregor vs. Michael Chandler headlining Worldwide Battle Week. In spite of everything, an inactive Irishman who usually has beer in hand and an inactive Chandler who does no matter stated Irishman says isn’t precisely becoming for what are presupposed to be intimidating screams.
However a stoic knockout machine like “Poatan” and an opponent who sits in a darkish room alone for days on finish?! Higher.
3. UFC 305: Du Plessis vs. Adesanya
In a phrase? Atmospheric.
If you happen to swap Dricus Du Plessis and Israel Adesanya for Matthew McConaughey and Anne Hathaway, Christopher Nolan would have an honest poster for Interstellar.
2. UFC 298: Volkanovski vs. Topuria
Sure, sure, sure. Sure. YES.
Typically the UFC’s poster simplicity pays off in a giant approach. UFC 298 was one such second. Maybe that’s as a result of the attractive gold font seems prefer it was written by the prized gel pens that lecturers used to maintain behind lock and bolt in class artwork classes.
1. UFC 301: Pantoja vs. Erceg
An absolute magnificence.
You might have instructed me this was a just lately found design from Vincent van Gogh that fetched thousands and thousands at a Sotheby’s public sale and I’d have believed you.
See, UFC. You are able to do it!
