- Who will broadcast UFC 257?
- UFC 257 subject to geo-blocking
- Avoid Geo-restrictions with a VPN
- Best VPN for UFC 257
- About UFC 257
“IT’S TIMEEE” for Conor McGregor to step back in the Octagon after nearly a year’s absence. The Notorious returns to MMA action on January 23 when he takes on Dustin Poirier in a highly anticipated match. His last fight was at UFC 246 on January 18, 2020, when he quickly dismantled Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone in less than a minute.
It will be a much-awaited rematch between both veteran fighters, who last locked horns six years ago at UFC 178. The Irishman claimed another swift first-round victory at the time, winning by TKO in less than two minutes. Since then, both men have had pretty much similar results, suffering defeats at the hands of the undefeated (and now retired) Khabib Nurmagomedov.
The stakes are significantly high for the UFC 257 main event, with the winner getting a shot at the lightweight title later on this year. Therefore, Poirier vs. McGregor and the other bouts on the fight card make UFC 257 a must-watch.
And since UFC events are pretty much only streaming-available now, you must know all about the geographic restrictions standing in the way. Luckily, there’s a silver lining in the form of a VPN.
Content Overview
- UFC 257 Broadcasters
- UFC 257 Geo-Blocked
- Avoid Geo-Blocking with a VPN
- Best VPN for UFC 257
- UFC 257 with Unlocator
- About UFC 257
- Final Round
Who Will Broadcast UFC 257?
The coronavirus outbreak last year canceled, postponed, or moved nearly all sports events. And even with the adoption of recent vaccines, new COVID-19 cases continue to rise significantly worldwide. That didn’t stop Dana White, though. He relocated UFC fights and events to a ‘fight island’ he created. And before you start envisioning a Mortal-Kombat-like location, it’s all taking place at Yas Island in Abu Dhabi, UAE.
This allowed Ultimate Fighting Championship showdowns to resume on May 9 with UFC 249. White hadn’t rolled out his fight island at the time, and the event was held at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, Florida, behind closed doors. The good news is that UFC 257 will feature limited attendance, the first time since March last year.
The Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism announced the news but did not provide further details.
“DCT Abu Dhabi is to host the third installment of UFC Fight Island on Yas Island from 16 to 24 January, welcoming a limited number of spectators to the new Etihad Arena.”
The Abu Dhabi Department of Culture and Tourism
Everyone else must stream UFC 257 live online, depending on their local broadcaster.
UFC 257 on ESPN+ in the US
ESPN is the exclusive home for UFC in the United States. The majority of bouts, including main cards, take place on ESPN+, the sports network’s streaming platform. Now, UFC 257 is a pay-per-view event, meaning even if you have an ESPN+ subscription, you must pay extra to watch it. And as of January 8, ESPN’s parent company Disney increased pricing for the ESPN+ annual and PPV packages.
The monthly subscription plan remains at $5.99, while Disney’s triple-threat offer of ESPN+, Hulu, and Disney+ is still $12.99/month. Furthermore, existing annual ESPN+ subscribers will continue to pay $49.99 until at least March 2 before the new prices take effect.
Here are the applied price changes as of January 8:
| PREVIOUS PRICING | NEW PRICING | |
| Annual Price | $49.99 | $54.99 |
| PPV + Annual Plan Bundle | $84.98 | $89.98 |
| PPV Standalone | $64.99 | $69.99 |
The best value for money is to bundle the annual package with the PPV event. It allows you to save 35%. However, the offer is only available for new subscribers.
International Subscribers
There is no shortage of UFC and MMA broadcasters, with the sport becoming increasingly popular over the years. ESPN may have coverage rights in the USA, but each country or region has its own exclusive network for UFC 257 and other sports events. But even though Poirier vs. McGregor is taking place in Abu Dhabi, it will follow US prime time.
The early prelims start at 6:30 PM Eastern time, while the main card should kick off at 10 PM. That means Poirier vs McGregor likely won’t step into the Octagon until 12 AM/5 AM GMT. Fans in Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia/Pacific regions will watch UFC 257 on Sunday, January 24. But at least Australian residents won’t have to get up early in the morning to stream the event.
Here are some of the UFC 257 broadcasters:
| BROADCASTER(S) | REGION(S) |
| ESPN+ | The US |
| TSN (prelims only) | Canada |
| BT Sport | The UK |
| DAZN | Germany |
| Viaplay | Sweden and Denmark |
| More.TV | Russia |
| OSN Play, UFC Arabia | MENA region |
| Main Event | Australia |
Most of these streaming platforms haven’t confirmed their pricing for UFC 257 PPV. BT Sport usually charges £19.95 (around $27) for pay-per-view events, although in some cases, there’s no extra cost to the subscription fee. The same applies to DAZN, which doesn’t require a PPV bill. Until we know more about pricing, BT Sports and DAZN are the most affordable choices for cord-cutting UFC fans. The first costs £25 (around $32) per month, while the latter is available at €11.99/month (around $14) or €119.99 (around $141) per year.
UFC 257 – Geo-Blocks in the Way
As we mentioned earlier, each country or region has its own broadcaster for streaming sports events. That is due to licensing agreements between TV networks or standalone streaming channels and sports organizations. For instance, US residents can only watch the English Premier League on NBC Sports. Meanwhile, those who live in Canada or the MENA region must subscribe to DAZN and beIN Sports, respectively.
And although DAZN is available in over 200 countries, each region has its own library. In other words, sports coverage differs depending on where you live. Yes, there are many of geographic restrictions when it comes to showcasing sports, movies, and series, but that is how each service protects its broadcasting rights.
Streaming platforms determine your location through your IP address. If they see that you are outside their coverage area, they use their geo-blocking technology to keep you out. That explains the geo-error message you encounter when you try to access a certain service from abroad.
“Sorry, this video is not available in your country.“
And since you can’t access the web without an IP address, your only solution is switching to an IP that matches your broadcaster’s coverage zone. So if you want to watch ESPN+ from overseas, you must get a US IP address. And the only to do so is with a virtual private network.
VPN – A Brutal KO to Geo-Blocking
Virtual private networks, better known as VPNs, are the most efficient tools for bypassing online restrictions. They offer consumers a network of private servers through which they can redirect their traffic. Then, they change their IP address so that it matches the server location.
To put it in simpler terms, if you connect to an American VPN server, you’ll get a new US IP address. As a result, any website you visit will think you are an American resident, thus giving you access to every US-restricted online service. That includes ESPN+, Disney+, Hulu, US Netflix, US Amazon Prime Video, HBO, and much more.
And the same applies to the other UFC 257 broadcasters. BT Sport requires an IP address from the UK, while DAZN subscribers must connect to a German VPN server. DAZN may be available almost everywhere, but it doesn’t own rights to showcase UFC events in all those countries. As for the remaining channels, simply select any server inside their respective markets and connect to it.
Privacy and Anonymity
VPNs are also excellent tools for safeguarding your online privacy. By redirecting your traffic and switching your IP address, websites, ISPs, government agencies, and threat actors can’t pinpoint your actual location. Another significant advantage is data encryption. Top VPN providers encrypt your entire traffic using military-grade algorithm, preventing third parties from tracking your online activities.
Furthermore, their zero-logging policy prevents them from storing users’ sensitive data. It means your IP address, browsing history, and connection logs are all deleted from VPN servers. And to prevent any potential leakage, the VPN kill switch disconnects you from the Internet if your provider malfunctions. As a result, your traffic won’t leak to your ISP’s servers.
Other VPN Benefits
In addition to unblocking your favorite UFC 257 streaming platforms and protecting your online privacy, you can use a VPN for:
- Safe torrenting: Copyright holders are always lurking on the web, especially in countries that ban P2P activities. VPNs protect your location and identity and hide your online activities, preventing anyone from monitoring what you do.
- ISP throttling: Whenever you stream or watch too much videos online, your ISP will intentionally lower your Internet speeds to conserve bandwidth. But when you use a VPN, your Internet service provider can’t affect your connection because it can’t see what you’re doing.
- Refund policy: Reputable VPNs offer a 30-day money-back guarantee, allowing users to test the service before committing to it. If they are unsatisfied, they’ll get a full refund within a month of their subscription.
How to Install a VPN
Another VPN perk is the compatible software with the most popular operating systems. The vast majority of VPN providers offer apps that work with PC, Mac, Android, and iOS. Some are also compatible with Kindle Fire and Linux devices. However, VPNs don’t work with Smart TVs or gaming consoles. To enjoy their perks when using those devices, you must manually set them up on your router.
Follow these five steps to watch UFC 257:
- Sign up for a premium VPN service.
- Download the VPN app on your mobile or desktop device.
- Open the app using the account you just created.
- Connect to any of the above servers, depending on your preferred streaming channel.
- Stream Poirier vs McGregor from anywhere.
Best VPN for UFC 257
The rising popularity of VPNs led to an oversaturated market, with hundreds of brands now available. Of course, not all VPNs offer the same features, with some doing more harm than good.
I’m talking about most free VPNs that make money by selling your sensitive data. That includes your IP address and browsing history. These providers don’t follow a no-logs policy and sometimes don’t use any encryption, which means anyone can monitor your traffic. Therefore, we advise you to stick to premium VPNs.
But in case you don’t have to research the best VPNs out there, we took the liberty to narrow down your options. Here are our top two suggestions.
ExpressVPN
ExpressVPN is a leading provider in the VPN industry. It operates an expansive network of 3,000+ servers in over 94 countries and can easily unblock UFC 257 broadcasters. These servers also support P2P activities and offer fast speed rates, making it a reasonable choice for streaming live sports.
The company also uses the most secure encryption on the market: AES with 256-bit keys. It would take the world’s supercomputers millions of years to break this algorithm. ExpressVPN also follows a proven zero-logs policy and has an automatic kill switch to terminate your connection if the app malfunctions.
Moreover, you can install it on iOS, Android, PC, Mac, Linux, and Kindle Fire and use it on five devices simultaneously. You’ll also benefit from a Smart DNS proxy service and a 30-day refund policy.
Pros
- Broad server network
- Good unblocking capabilities
- Fast servers
- P2P support
- AES-256 encryption
- No-logs policy
- Kill switch
- Smart DNS proxy: MediaStreamer
- 30-day refund policy
- Five simultaneous device connections
Cons
- Pricey subscription plans
BulletVPN
Even though BulletVPN does not have a server network that is as broad as some of its peers, its streaming support and unblocking capabilities are second to none. It is the only service we’ve tested so far that still works with Kayo Sports, TVNZ, Showmax, and DStv. Servers also allow torrenting and P2P activities and offer fast speed rates.
When it comes to privacy, BulletVPN uses AES-256 encryption, follows a no-logs policy, and has a built-in kill switch. Moreover, you can activate the unique BulletShield feature to cut off Internet access when you are not connected to a BulletVPN server.
The company also offers a 30-day money-back guarantee and Smart DNS proxy service. You can install it on Android, iOS, PC, and Mac and use it on up to six simultaneous devices.
Pros
- Fast speed rates
- Excellent streaming support
- Torrenting allowed
- Military-grade encryption
- Zero-logs policy
- Kill switch + BulletShield
- 30-day refund policy
- Six simultaneous device connections
- Smart DNS proxy
Cons
- Smaller number of servers than other VPNs
Watch UFC 257 with Unlocator
VPNs may be the preferred tools for unblocking streaming platforms, but they are not the only ones. Smart DNS proxies can also give you access to your favorite content by only redirecting the URLs that expose your traffic. They don’t, however, hide your IP address nor encrypt your traffic. They also don’t work if your ISP uses transparent proxies or DNS hijacking.
But at least they don’t affect your Internet speed.
Unlocator is our top Smart DNS recommendation. It gives you access to over 220 streaming channels, including ESPN+, BT Sport, DAZN, Sling TV, and a lot more. So you can watch UFC 257: Poirier vs McGregor from anywhere. Another brilliant feature we liked is the 7-day free trial, which you can get without entering your credit card details.
Just follow these steps:
- Visit Unlocator and sign up for the one-week free trial. You’ll also benefit from a 30-day refund policy.
- Follow the simple setup guides and videos on the website to get Unlocator on your device.
- Unlocator works with the majority of operating systems, including iOS, Android, PC, Mac, Linux, Kindle Fire, PS3/PS4, Xbox, routers, LG, Samsung, and other Smart TVs.
- See if Poirier or McGregor will come out victorious.
UFC 257 – What You Must Know
Poirier vs McGregor and the rest of the UFC 257 event will take place at Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. However, the Etihad Arena will host the bouts on the fight card this time instead of the usual Flash Forum location. And for the first time since March, a limited number of fans will get to attend.
Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor will headline UFC 257 as The Notorious returns to competitive action for the first time in almost a year. Back then, he made quick work of Donald “Cowboy” Cerrone, defeating him in less than a minute. The Irishman also claimed a swift win against Poirier in 2014.
But The Diamond is one of the toughest fighters in the division. He was a former interim Lightweight champion before his defeat to Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 242. The American has some impressive wins under his belt against Justin Gaethje, Max Holloway, and Dan Hooker.
FULL CARD
- Dustin Poirier vs. Conor McGregor
- Dan Hooker vs. Michael Chandler
- Jessica Eye vs. Joanne Calderwood
- Khalil Rountree Jr. vs. Marcin Prachnio
- Marina Rodriguez vs. Amanda Ribas
- Brad Tavares vs. Antonio Carlos Júnior
- Matt Frevola vs. Ottman Azaitar
- Shane Burgos vs. Hakeem Dawodu
- Andrew Sanchez vs. Andre Muniz
OFFICIAL TRAILER
Watch UFC 257 from Anywhere – Final Round
UFC 257 will mark the special return of Conor McGregor, and his opponent is none other than Justin Poirier. The American will be seeking revenge for the 2014 fight when he lost by TKO in less than two minutes. The stakes are high for both fighters, though, as the winner will get the chance to battle it out for the Lightweight title.
So to make sure you don’t miss any of the action due to geo-blocks, get a reputable VPN service to stream it no matter where you are.
Predicting a winner is a tough task when you put two great fighters against each other. But I believe McGregor has a slight edge over Poirier. Do you also think The Notorious will be victorious? Let us know below.
