FC matches vary in maximum length, depending on whether the match is for a Championship

title, or is a fight card's "main event" fight. In all fights, each round can be no longer than five
minutes. Championship fights last for a maximum of five rounds. Beginning with UFC 138 on
November 5, 2011, non-championship "main event" fights (i.e. the final fight on the card) will also
last for a maximum of five rounds. Non-main event bouts last for a maximum of three
rounds. UFC on FX: Alves vs. Kampmann featured the organization's first two flyweight fights as
part of its first flyweight tournament, which consists of bouts that, in the event of a draw, go to a
fourth "sudden victory" round held to determine the winner, who advances. There is a one-minute
rest period between rounds.

Cage[edit]

Shot of the Octagon as Chris Weidman upsets Anderson Silva at UFC 162.

The UFC stages bouts in an eight-sided enclosure officially named "The Octagon". Originally,
SEG trademarked the concept as well as the term and prevented other mixed martial arts
promotions from using the same type of cage, but in 2001 Zuffa gave permission for other
promotions to use octagonal cages, reasoning that the young sport needed uniformity to continue
to win official sanctioning. Today Zuffa reserves exclusive use of the name "The Octagon".[150]
The UFC cage is an octagonal structure with walls of metal chain-link fence coated with black
vinyl. The standard octagon has a diameter of 30 ft (9.1 m) with a 6 ft (1.8 m) high fence.[151] The
cage sits atop a platform, raising it 4 ft (1.2 m) from the ground. It has foam padding around the
top of the fence and between each of the eight sections. It also has two entry-exit gates opposite
each other.[152] The mat, painted with sponsorship logos and art, is replaced for each event.
For smaller venues and events, the UFC often uses a smaller cage, which is only 25 ft (7.6 m)
across.[153][154]

Attire[edit]
All competitors fight in approved shorts, without shoes. Tops are only approved for female
competitors. Required safety equipment include padded gloves, mouthguard, and protective
cups held in place with a jockstrap for males.[155] The open-fingered gloves have at least 1" of
padding around the knuckles, (110 to 170 g / 4 to 6 ounces[156]) that allow fingers to grab. To
ensure compliance, fighters are checked by a State Athletic Committee official before being
allowed to enter the cage/ring.[157]
Originally the attire for UFC was very open. Many fighters still chose to wear tight-fitting shorts or
boxing-type trunks, while others wore long pants or singlets. Several wore wrestling shoes. Multi-
time tournament Champion Royce Gracie wore a Brazilian jiu-jitsu gi in all of his early
appearances in UFC (Gracie wore shorts against Matt Hughes at UFC 60), while Art
Jimmerson appeared in UFC 1 wearing one standard boxing glove. As of UFC 133 there has
been a ban on speedo style shorts after Dennis Hallman wore one in his fight against Brian
Ebersole. UFC president Dana White was so furious about the fighter's choice of attire that he
awarded an honorary "getting those horrifying shorts off TV as soon as possible" bonus to
Ebersole for finishing the fight in the first round, and in following post-fight interviews made it clear
that speedo style shorts will no longer be tolerated.