BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra will broadcast a UFC® event live for the first time when the UFC makes its long-awaited debut in Liverpool, England on Sunday, May 27.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: THOMPSON vs. TILL, which takes place at the Echo Arena Liverpool, will be aired live on the station during a historic weekend of sport in Liverpool.
The show will be hosted by presenters OJ Borg and Nick Peet, who produce the popular BBC MMA Show, a weekly podcast which also features ex-athlete and current UFC commentator and analyst, Dan Hardy. Also joining the commentary team, and bringing with them years of experience within the combat sports world, will be Malcolm Martin and former UFC athlete and fan favourite Brad Pickett.
The announcement reflects the incredible demand for live UFC action in the UK, with tickets for UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: THOMPSON vs. TILL selling out within an hour of going on sale, making it the first combat sports event to sell out the Echo Arena Liverpool.
BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra will air the entirety of the main card, starting at approximately 6:00 p.m. BST, following the conclusion of the fourth day of England vs. Pakistan Cricket Test. The show will end with the headline bout between No. 1 ranked UFC welterweight Stephen “Wonderboy” Thompson and Liverpool’s Darren “The Gorilla” Till, the No. 8 ranked UFC welterweight.
The live broadcast will include backstage interviews from UFC Connected host Layla Anna-Lee with celebrity UFC fans and guest fighters, capping off what is set to be an electric Fight Week as the UFC’s famous Octagon® touches down in the city of Liverpool for the very first time.
UFC FIGHT NIGHT®: THOMPSON vs. TILL concludes an important weekend of sport in Liverpool as Liverpool FC face Real Madrid in the Champions League final on Saturday 26 May in Kiev, Ukraine. BBC Radio 5 live has exclusive radio commentary of the match.
David Shaw, UFC Senior Vice President, International and Content, said: “We’re extremely excited that BBC Radio 5 live Sports Extra will be broadcasting live from a UFC event for the first time.
“The appeal of UFC continues to reach new heights in the UK and it’s fitting that this broadcast will cover such a historic and highly-anticipated event in Liverpool. With tickets to the event selling out so quickly, this gives fans who missed out another chance to follow the action.”
Ben Gallop, Head of BBC Radio and Digital Sport, said: “Broadcasting a UFC event live on BBC 5 live Sports Extra is a landmark moment for us. The growing popularity of UFC in the UK, particularly amongst younger audiences, makes it the ideal sport for us to broadcast live, offering comprehensive coverage to our millions of listeners. Our coverage on 5 live Sports Extra and the BBC Sport website will ensure fans won’t miss a moment of the action in Liverpool.”
Watch the MMA UK UFC Liverpool Preview Show
86 Responses
Lee Docherty Joe Sankus
Nice!!’n
Who ye goat
Andrew Turnbull
Got excited then seen radio and felt immediately disappointed.
Paul Scott
Darren Thomson
Aye radio fuck that
Get it up on gavs phone ??
Chris Hutchinson Sam Hodgson
Can’t wait for this
Andrew Josh Aaron
What’s the point in that?
Llyr Roberts Patrick Graham
Will be a kickboxing match that’s not as fun as a kickboxing match. Get ready for a decision
Adam Byrne
Yeah BBC radio son don’t be fooled ???♂️
Adam Byrne nooooooo ?? really
Yeah ????
Radio?really this aint the fucking 30s lol
Aye, there’s nothing quite like hearing someone getting smacked in the mouth, watching it would be well shite ?
Really should have put broadcast live on the RADIO in that post everyone excited thinking they can watch it on BBC 1 lol
Till will smash him like he did cowboy !! See yaaaa
Jake Branagh ticket
Ballix
Dosnt matter acc its radio ffs
Andrew Mallaburn
Della Waterfield
FYI it’s BBC Radio 5 Live xtra audio commentary! Still a big deal I guess!
David Pollock
Jennifer Adamson there’s our Saturday night sorted
Sunday will be better as that’s when it’s on
??
Your a fifer I understand now
Haha cheers pal the show starts Saturday though surely
Is no just on radio 5 live tho?
Sure says till fight 6pm,till gona smash him round one or 2 #freemoney
Free on bt anyway
True story
Out for pint sat for footy Nate Stewart, the attic is decent like
Mofest min haha or woulda
All your money on, villa madrid,n till
Dean Nicholls
That’s class man
Seán Óg Peter Madden Lee O Donnell Shane Burke
Broadcast on the radio tho…
Seán Óg Peter Madden I didn’t read it right ?
Tom Fall
It’s being broadcast on the radio though not the TV if I read that right. 🙁
Shea Mcgeary we might need this.
Garry Kerr least we can watch it rough ?
Who even has a radio on the their home……
U cumin round to LISTEN haha
Craig Mclaughlan
*on radio ?
Thompson makes it!
Mike Davis