On September 7th, 2019, UFC fans will witness the return of one of the most dominant fighters in MMA history, the UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov. The undefeated champion will step into the Octagon against interim champion Dustin Poirier, who’s been eying for a title match after 21 fights with the promotion. There are several ways to stream the UFC 242 action in The Arena at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. In case you don’t know your way around, here’s how you can watch UFC 242: Khabib vs. Poirier live anywhere.
Watch UFC 242 Anywhere
UFC 242 – Live Streaming
UFC is a popular sport that reached a global audience. As of now, it has official broadcasters all around the world, excluding its official streaming service, Fight Pass. That’s not all; you should know that all of the services are restricted to their respective regions. That means if you live outside their countries, you’ll be blocked almost instantly.
You see, these channels can pinpoint your location the moment you visit their website. How? Well, it’s your IP address. Those digits assigned to you the moment you connect to the internet can help any website gather information about you, including your location, browser, device, and ISP. Take UFC Arabia, for example; the service is only available in the MENA region. If you approach from abroad (different IP address), you’ll get this error message:
“UFC Arabia is not available in your area.”
For now, I’ve provided you with a list below, check if your country has an official streaming channel. If not, keep reading so that you learn how to get(unblock) any of those channels in your region.
- UFC Fight Pass
- Match TV (Russia)
- DAZN (Germany)
- Viaplay (Sweden, Denmark)
- BT Sport (UK)
- ESPN+ (USA)
- Main Event (Australia)
- OSN (Middle East)
- UFC Arabia (Middle East)
- TSN (Canada) (Prelims Only)
Intro to Virtual Private Networks
As of 2019, more than 4 billion people around the world are active internet users. In case you didn’t know, it’s like 58 percent of the human population across the globe. However, most of those users are not aware of the dangers the internet can contain when browsing the web without proper precautions.
They don’t even think about the digital trail of personal information they leave behind while surfing the web.
That’s why nowadays the use of VPNs has become widely popular. First, it’s a security tool that hides your identity and encrypts your data so that no online threat can target your device. Second, it allows you to freely access any geo-restricted content in different parts of the world.
In other words, surf the internet freely. I’ve started the guide with an introduction to VPNs since you’ll be using it to watch UFC events anywhere in the world. You’ll find the answers you’re looking for in the next part. As for now, here’s what a VPN can do:
- Ultimate Privacy: Your connections cannot be linked to your computer. You can browse the internet without your ISP monitoring your every move.
- High-level Security: VPN connections are “military-grade” secure. Your network is hack-proof, and all of your traffic is encrypted (coded) and unreadable in transit. This avoids hacking attempts and identity theft, especially on public networks such as coffee shops, airports, and hotels.
- Bypass Restrictions: It works around geo-blocks and censorship by changing your IP address to that of a server of your choosing (In a different country or state).
- Anonymous Browsing: Your original IP address is cloaked! You’re untraceable and unidentifiable online. That’s because you’re constantly using a different IP address, never your own. In fact, you’ll be viewed as a resident in different locations when you use a VPN.
Why Would You Need a VPN for UFC?
Your location dictates everything you do online. That includes what you can access and how much you pay for certain services.
When it comes to Fight Pass, you’ll encounter a huge problem in select countries, blackout restrictions.
Wherever there’s a major cable provider in the area that has the rights to broadcast UFC events, the streaming service will be subject to blackouts.
For example, if you’re in the UK, you won’t be able to purchase UFC 242 using Fight Pass. Instead, you’ll receive a message stating that you can stream it on BT Sport.
“Due to broadcast restrictions, this video is not available within a UFC Fight Pass subscription or as a Pay-Per-View in your region. Please check your local TV listing for viewing information. This event is currently blocked out in your region.”
In case UFC Fight Night is your only option, you better use a VPN to spoof your online location. All you need to do is connect to a VPN server in a region where no official TV broadcasting is available. Once done, the page will change, and the Purchase button will appear.
So, technically, we can say that you can stream UFC events on Fight Pass wherever you might be; Even in countries where blackout restrictions are applied.
Cheaper by the Country
UFC Fight Pass offers users the chance to stream their top events live via PPV. However, what most people don’t know is that you get billed based on your geographic location. In other words, the prices vary depending on where your internet traffic is coming from.
Let me give you an example. Those who live in France will get a different price than those in Russia. The same criterion works for every country around the world. Let me show you what I mean.
- I’m currently residing in France, so basically, this is the price I get in the region. It cost €29.99/PPV, which is equivalent to $33.
- When I connect to a VPN server in Russia, the price changes to match that of the region, in other words, with a Russian IP address, your price will be at руб 999, which is around $15.
- To give you more options, I connected to a server in Hong Kong as well. The price also changed to reach $24.99.
See? Now, all you have to do is find a country with the lowest price. After that, connect to a VPN server there. This method also works with other online purchases like flight tickets, online shopping, and more.
Restricted Channels – Restricted No More
Now, for those who prefer to use a particular channel for UFC streaming, this part is for you. As I mentioned above, streaming services are restricted to their own region. To get them abroad, you must trick them into thinking that you’re in that territory. That’s where a VPN comes in.
If you’ve read the VPN part, you should know by now that it spoofs your online location according to the server you’re connected to. For example, if you connect to a US server, you’ll obtain an American IP address. As a result, you’ll appear to be browsing the web as if you’re in the States. That will give you the ability to access US-based content just like any other American resident. We’re talking about the likes of ESPN+, Hulu, HBO and more.
That was just an example. You can also do that with each and every channel on the list above by connecting to a server in their respective countries. So, here’s what you need to do to watch UFC 242 live anywhere:
- To kick it off, you should pick a VPN provider that has servers in the countries mentioned above. Once you set your sight on one, subscribe to its service (I’ll give you recommendations later on).
- After that, download and install the VPN’s dedicated application on your streaming platform. You’ll find clients on major operating systems such as Android, iOS, Mac, Windows, and Fire TV.
- Next, activate the app and sign in with your VPN account.
- Connect to a server based on the channel you’ve chosen:
- US server for ESPN+.
- UK server for BT Sport.
- Australian server for Main Event, etc…
- Wait a few seconds and double-check your connection using this IP Verifying Tool.
- Launch your selected channel’s website or its dedicated app.
- Watch UFC 242 wherever you might be.
Top UFC VPN
In case you’re still new to the VPN world, you must know how to separate the good apples from the bad one. Luckily, I’ve spent a lot of time reviewing more than 100 VPN providers throughout the years. To be honest, only a few were able to impress me. One of them is what most internet users talk about, ExpressVPN. This VPN has all it takes to bypass regional restrictions and secure your data no matter what country you reside in.
It even manages to bypass the Great Firewall of China, presenting Chinese residents with a more free internet approach. To be able to access the channels above, you need a VPN that has servers in their respective countries. Well, ExpressVPN has 3000 servers in 94 countries, so you have hundreds of options.
We’re talking about streaming UFC, so the speed is an essential factor here. Luckily, ExpressVPN has blazing fast servers dedicated to all kinds of internet activities. You name it; HD streaming, online gaming, and even torrenting.
If security is not what you’re looking for, you can use their Smart DNS service as an alternative. You won’t add extra online protection, but you’ll be streaming with minimal speed loss. Not to mention that your identity will still be exposed, yet you’ll have access to your local channels. It’s a feature available strictly to bypass regional restrictions.
Security-wise, ExpressVPN provides the latest military-grade protocols along with strong AES-256 encryption. Not to mention an automatic kill switch (shuts your connection if the VPN network fails), DNS leak protection, and split-tunneling. If that’s not what you’re looking for, you can use your 30-day money-back policy. After that, check out the top alternatives in the table below.
- 30-Day Money-back Guarantee
- Unlimited Bandwidth
- Apps For All Your Devices
- 24/7 Live Support
UFC 242: Khabib vs. Poirier
As far as we know, Poirier is an underdog against the unbeaten king of 155 pounds. UFC 242 heads to The Arena at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi on September 7th, 2019. We expect a lot from this bout as a lot of predictions imply that Poirier will end Khabib’s undefeated streak.
However, let’s not forget that Khabib has beaten McGregor in his last bout, so the odds are a bit against Poirier in this clash. The undercard is not too shabby as well. Here’s what’s coming your way come September 7th, 2019 at UFC 242:
Main Card
- Khabib Nurmagomedov vs. Dustin Poirier
- Edson Barboza vs. Paul Felder
- Islam Makhachev vs. Davi Ramos
- Curtis Blaydes vs. Shamil Abdurakhimov
- Mairbek Taisumov vs. Carlos Diego Ferreira
Preliminary Card
- Ottman Azaitar vs. Teemu Packalén
- Liana Jojua vs. Sarah Moras
- Joanne Calderwood vs. Andrea Lee
- Zubaira Tikhugov vs. Lerone Murphy
Early Preliminary Card
- Belal Muhammad vs. Takashi Sato
- Nordine Taleb vs. Muslim Salikhov
- Omari Akhmedov vs. Zak Cumming
- Don Madge vs. Fares Ziam
Streaming UFC 242 Live Anywhere – Final Thoughts
The return of one of the most dominant fighters currently competing is set to happen this Saturday. Everyone’s waiting for Khabib’s epic showdown with Poirier as both fighters have an outstanding record in MMA. And now, everyone around the world can tune in to watch the event live.
Remember, use a VPN to change your location based on the channel you’ve chosen. Once done, you can stream UFC 242 wherever you are. Who do you think has the upper hand? Will Poirier walk out as the Unified Champion? Share your predictions below.
