Last updated: May 2, 2026
Quick Definition
A UFC walkout is the brief ceremonial entrance a fighter makes from the backstage tunnel to the Octagon before their bout, set to a song of their choice and watched by the live crowd and television audience.
What is a UFC walkout?
In the UFC, the walkout is the short window of time between a fighter being introduced backstage and stepping into the cage. Both fighters take this walk before every bout, one after the other. The lower-ranked or challenging fighter goes first. The whole sequence usually lasts somewhere between 60 seconds and three minutes, depending on the size of the fight and the production around it.
The walkout is part theatre, part mental preparation. For the fighter, it is the last stretch of time before competition begins, soundtracked by music they have chosen and lit up by an arena that has been waiting all night for the bout. For the audience, it is the moment the fight stops being an idea on a poster and starts feeling real.
Fighters use the walk to settle nerves and lock in. Some smile and dance. Others stare at the floor or move with a heavy, deliberate calm. The walkout is the first window most viewers get into how a fighter is feeling that night.
It is also a piece of branding. A fighter’s song, their team’s gear, and the way they enter the room all work as identity. According to The Hype Magazine, fighters do not choose their entrance songs lightly; songs are picked to galvanise the fan base and unsettle opponents. Over time, certain songs become so closely tied to a fighter that the opening notes alone announce them. Conor McGregor and “The Foggy Dew” is the most famous example. Wanderlei Silva and “Sandstorm” is another.
How a UFC walkout works
Every UFC walkout follows the same basic sequence. As the previous fight clears the cage, the production cues up the next bout. Backstage, the first fighter is cleared by the cutman and the commission, their walkout video plays on the arena screens, their song hits the speakers, and they emerge from the tunnel with their corner team.
From there, it is a steady walk through the crowd and down a fenced aisle to the cage. Fighters often pause to acknowledge fans, hug coaches, or shadowbox briefly. At the cage steps, a UFC official inspects the fighter one last time. Vaseline is applied. Gloves are checked. The fighter steps into the Octagon. Then the second fighter does the same.
A few details that shape the walkout:
The song. Each fighter picks one walkout song. It plays only during their walk and is cut as soon as they reach the cage. Music is not played during the fight itself.
The entourage. Coaches and training partners walk out with the fighter, sometimes joined by celebrity guests. The cutman and head coach enter the cage area; the rest stay outside.
The kit. Fighters walk out in branded shorts, plus a jersey or hoodie often built around their nickname or country, which they remove before the bout.
The video package. Before the song hits, the arena usually plays a short hype video that introduces the fighter and previews the stakes of the fight.
How long is a UFC walkout?
There is no fixed time limit, but most walkouts run between 60 and 90 seconds from the moment the song starts to the moment the fighter steps into the Octagon. Co-main and main event fighters often get a bit longer because their video packages are larger and the production cuts them more room. A4Fitness notes that MMA promotions, including the UFC, follow guidelines that typically range from 60 to 90 seconds, giving fighters enough time to enter, react to the crowd, and get into the right mindset.
For headlining bouts, the entire entrance, including the video package and walk to the cage, can stretch closer to three minutes.
Walkout order: who walks out first?
Order is decided by the colour of the corner each fighter is assigned. The blue corner walks first, the red corner walks second. Walking second is generally seen as the more prestigious slot because it puts the fighter in the spotlight when the bell is closest to ringing.
Corner colour is not random. As FansidedMMA explains, the higher-ranked fighter usually takes the red corner and walks second; in title fights, the champion gets the red corner, and the challenger gets the blue. That is why champions almost always walk out last in their own title defences. The Conor McGregor versus Dustin Poirier rematches are a useful exception. McGregor was the bigger draw both times, but ranked below Poirier, so he was assigned the blue corner and walked first.
The walkout song
The walkout song is the single most discussed part of any UFC entrance. Fighters choose their own, with light approval from the UFC and rights clearance handled by the promotion. A UFC editorial on walkout songs describes the choice as personal: a window into a fighter’s personality, culture, or motivations, and some fighters use the same track for years until it becomes their signature.
Songs tend to fall into a few rough buckets. There are nationalist or regional anthems, picked by fighters who want to represent where they come from. McGregor’s “Foggy Dew” fits this. Khabib Nurmagomedov’s track honours Dagestan. Mood songs are another category, picked for the emotion the fighter wants to enter the cage with. Statement songs are the third bucket. They are chosen specifically to needle an opponent or play up a heel character. Colby Covington walking out to Kurt Angle’s WWE theme to lean into his villain persona is a clear case of the latter.
The most ambitious walkouts have included live performances. At UFC 189, Conor McGregor walked out to a live rendition of “The Foggy Dew” performed by Sinéad O’Connor inside the MGM Grand Garden Arena, and Chad Mendes followed with a live performance of “Country Boy” by Aaron Lewis. Live walkouts at this scale are rare and usually reserved for major pay-per-view headliners.
UFC walkout vs. boxing ring walk
The two are close cousins but not identical. Both are choreographed entrances set to music, both use the time to build crowd energy, and both let the fighter project a chosen image. The differences are mostly structural.
UFC walkouts are tighter. The aisle is shorter, the music cuts sooner, and the entrance is built around a cage instead of a roped ring. Boxing ring walks run longer, especially at the championship level. Headline bouts can see entrances stretch past five minutes, with elaborate costuming and stage production. Naseem Hamed once entered on a flying carpet. Floyd Mayweather’s themed processions are the kind of theatrics rarely seen in MMA.
The other difference is tone. Most UFC walkouts feel closer to a focused mental routine than to a stage performance. Some fighters do play to the crowd, but the baseline is a quick, purposeful walk to the cage with a song behind it.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is a UFC walkout?
Most UFC walkouts run 60 to 90 seconds from the moment the song starts to the moment the fighter steps into the Octagon. Headlining walkouts with full video packages can run closer to three minutes.
Who walks out first in a UFC fight?
The blue corner fighter walks out first, followed by the red corner fighter. In title fights, the challenger takes the blue corner and walks first; the champion takes the red corner and walks second.
Do UFC fighters choose their own walkout songs?
Yes. Fighters pick their own walkout songs, with the UFC handling music rights clearance. Some fighters use the same song for years until it becomes a signature track tied to them.
Are walkout songs played during the fight?
No. The walkout song plays only during the fighter’s entrance and is cut as soon as they enter the cage. Music does not play during the fight itself.
Has any UFC fighter ever had a live walkout performance?
Yes, but rarely. The most famous example is Sinéad O’Connor performing “The Foggy Dew” live for Conor McGregor at UFC 189 in 2015. Live walkouts are usually reserved for major pay-per-view main events.
Sources
- UFC. “UFC Walkouts We Love.” Accessed 2 May 2026.
- UFC. “The Top 10 Walkout Songs of All Time.” Accessed 2 May 2026.
- A4Fitness. “What Is an MMA Walkout and How It Sets the Stage for Fighters.” Accessed 2 May 2026.
- A4Fitness. “Optimal Length of an MMA Walkout: How Long Can It Be?” Accessed 2 May 2026.
- FansidedMMA. “Red vs. Blue: A Fan’s Guide to Understanding Corner Color Placement.” Accessed 2 May 2026.
- The Hype Magazine. “How UFC Stars Choose Their Entrance Music.” Accessed 2 May 2026.
- ESPN. “From ‘Zombie’ to ‘Lose Yourself’: The Top Walkouts in MMA and Boxing.” Accessed 2 May 2026.
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