What Does NC / No Contest Mean in the UFC and MMA?

If you’re new to watching the UFC or MMA in general, you may be confused by the term ‘NC’, which is short for No Contest. This basically means the bout is canceled either during the fight or after and the result is considered null and void. In other words, whatever had previously happened during the fight is now deemed irrelevant and each fighter is given a NC on their records. This means that No Contest can have big implications for fighters, as it can effectively remove a loss or a win from your record and can either be considered a good or a bad thing. Here is a detailed analysis of what quantifies as No Contest and how it all works.

What qualifies as No Contest in MMA?

• Positive drugs test (often this means one fighter has used steroids, but sometimes it can include recreational drugs too. Up until 2021, the UFC also counted marijuana as an illegal substance.
• Accidental injury to a fighter (this often refers to stuff like eye pokes that can seriously hurt someones eye and vision, or even groin strikes in very rare cases)
• Cage problems that disrupt the fight (referee Marc Goddard once stopped a fight at Cage Warriors 106 due to there being too much blood on the floor, this made the fighters balance compromised). Similarly, if a fighter defecates then the bout can be deemed No Contest.
• Illegal strikes (this means stuff like accidental headbutts, strikes to the back of the head and neck)

Do UFC fighters still get paid if the fight is a No Contest?

The answer to this question is yes, but it really depends from organization to organization. In theory, someone could be paid $1 million dollars for a fight in the UFC, turn up and instantly eye poke and they’d still get paid, even if the fight was under 10 seconds long. This is because the UFC has a policy that pays its fighters for showing up on the day. It is not known whether a UFC fighter still gets to keep a bonus if their fight is deemed a no contest though.

As mentioned, in other companies there may be different rules. If a promotion is stuck for cash, they may not pay fighters for a No Contest but this will be in the terms and conditions of the fighters’ contract.

What happens if a result ends in No Contest and you’ve bet money on it?

Imagine a situation where you bet one fighter to win, but the result ends in a No Contest. This depends on the sports book, but most bookies will refund your money and deem the bet void. In other words, you don’t win or lose anything. The issue with this is that sometimes fights are deemed No Contest literally years later. One example of this was CM Punks loss to Mike Jackson. Literally three years after the fight, it was proven that Jackson had tested positive for marijuana and therefore the fight was deemed No Contest.

Does this mean you could get your money back? Realistically, no…the reason for this is that there’s probably a cut off time after a few weeks and this is probably in the contract when you lay a bet down. Not only this, but some shady betting companies may also take your money if a fight is deemed a No Contest, so make sure you know the policies and rules before placing a bet.

What’s the difference between a No Contest and a disqualification?

Generally, a disqualification is when an illegal strike is deemed intentional and the fighter does something considered morally bad. A classic example of this was the UFC Bantameight title fight between Petr Yan and Aljamain Sterling. Despite Yan dominating the fight and closing in on victory, he decided to knee Sterling whilst Sterling was classed as being in a ‘downed opponent’ position with his knee touching the floor. This result wasn’t deemed a No Contest as it was seen as dangerous and beyond a technicality or accidental.

As a result, there is sometimes a grey area between a No Contest and DQ. In some cases, you could argue that Yan acted in the heat of the moment and it was natural instinct to knee Sterling in the face. However, others could argue that this wasn’t accidental and there was enough intent and danger to deem it as a disqualification instead.

Famous No Contest results in the UFC

Over the years, there have been several famous No Contest rulings in the UFC. Perhaps the CM Punk vs. Mike Jackson bout is up there as previously mentioned, it probably holds some kind of record for being the longest time frame between a registered result and an overturned decision, turning it into a No Contest. Here are a few other famous moments.

Nick Diaz Vs. Anderson Silva

After Anderson Silva won this fight back in early 2015 by unanimous decision, he was found to be using PED’s days later. This resulted in a No Contest decision and his win was moved into NC territory. However, it was also revealed that Nick Diaz had also tested positive for marijuana use. As a result, had Diaz won the fight it wouldn’t have counted due to marijuana being an illegal substance (at the time). Perhaps the biggest takeaway from the marijuana use was the resulting fallout. Diaz was given a whopping 5 year ban after this. However, he eventually got the time reduced but still spent years away from fighting as a result.

Jon Jones Vs. Daniel Cormier

At UFC 214, Jon Jones defeated Daniel Cormier for the second time in two years. He initially knocked out DC, until this win was eventually awarded as a NC. So, what happened? Jon Jones tested positive for turinabol which is a growth steroid for muscles and strength. This meant that although Cormier had previously lost his Light Heavyweight belt, he was reinstated days later. Cormier went on to win 3 fights after this episode, which also tainted the legacy of Jones forever.

Leon Edwards Vs. Belal Muhammad

In 2021, Leon Edwards fought Belal Muhammad, with both men having impressive MMA records at the time. Early on in the second round, Leon Edwards eye poked Muhammad which ended the fight early. The images that followed were pretty brutal and showed the finger had gone deep into Muhammad’s eye. After this, he was apparently blinded for a few hours but eventually made a quick recovery.

Conclusion

Overall, the term No Contest is literally as it sounds. The point is that the contest is deemed over without either fighter being given a win or a loss. Generally, the likelihood of getting a No Contest is very rare but it certainly does happen. Because of this, if you’re a prospective fighter then it’s best to check the rules of the organization before fighting so you don’t get any nasty surprises.

The last thing that you want to do is be in a winning position and throw it all away. In conclusion, the No Contest operates for times when the fight can’t continue due to extraordinary circumstances, or the result may be overturned even years later, due to evidence that puts the contest in jeopardy.