Quick Definition
An open workout is a public promotional event held during fight week, where fighters run through a short, light training session in front of fans and media. It is mostly ceremonial, meant to build hype and give reporters access rather than to prepare the fighter.
What is an open workout?
A promotion stages several public events in the days before a card, and the open workout is usually the first of them. A handful of fighters from the bill, normally the headliners, take a mat or a small stage in a public venue and go through a brief, relaxed routine while cameras roll and fans watch. Afterward, they answer questions from reporters and often sign autographs or pose for photos.
The point is promotion, not training. By the time fight week arrives, the hard work of camp is finished, so nobody is trying to get in shape on a mall stage two or three days out. The session exists to sell the fight. It puts the athletes in front of local fans, hands the media fresh footage and quotes, and pushes momentum toward the main event.
It also fits a wider fight-week rhythm. The open workout usually lands early in the week, before media day and the weigh-ins, giving each event on the calendar its own moment. Knowing that placement is the quickest way to tell the open workout apart from the other public appearances fighters make before they compete.
What happens at an open workout
Picture a roped-off area or a raised platform inside a shopping mall, a casino floor, or a nightclub, with music playing and a crowd pressing in. One fighter at a time steps out and works for roughly ten to thirty minutes, though recent UFC events have trimmed that down. At UFC 312 in Sydney, athletes worked out for ten minutes and then took questions for five.
The work itself is light. Fighters shadowbox, hit the pads with a coach, throw a few combinations, and move around to loosen up. The ESPN description of these sessions has held up for years: open workouts are almost entirely ceremonial, with most fighters barely breaking a sweat as they cruise through short sessions built to let the media get a look at them.
Some skip the workout part altogether. Ahead of UFC 197 in 2016, Jon Jones walked to the center of the floor, asked the DJ to cut the music, and told the room he would not be training. He spent the next twenty minutes signing autographs and taking pictures instead. Because nothing meaningful rides on the session, a fighter can make that choice without consequence.
The format travels well beyond the UFC. Ben Askren held an open workout before his 2021 boxing match with Jake Paul, and many combat-sports promotions use the same approach to promote a card.
Open workout vs. other fight week events
Fans new to the sport often blur the open workout together with the other public events of fight week. They serve different purposes and happen on different days.
| Event | When | Open to public? | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Open workout | Early fight week, often Wednesday | Usually, and free | Light workout plus media and fan access, all for promotion |
| Media day | Mid fight week | Usually closed | Sit-down interviews and press scrums |
| Ceremonial weigh-in | Day before the fight | Yes | A staged faceoff for the crowd; no official weights recorded |
| Official weigh-in | Morning before the fight | No | Fighters hit the scale for the commission; decides eligibility |
The open workout is the one built around movement and casual fan contact. The weigh-ins turn on the scale and the faceoff, while media day is about interviews. A promotion can also drop the open workout for a given card, as the UFC did for UFC 207.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are open workouts free to attend?
Usually. Promotions often stage them in public spaces like malls and bill them as free and open to the public, though access can depend on the venue and the event.
When during fight week do they happen?
Typically early in the week, a few days before the fight, ahead of media day and the weigh-ins. The exact day varies by card and location.
Do fighters train hard at an open workout?
No. Camp is already finished by fight week, so the session stays light and exists for show. Most fighters barely break a sweat.
Does every card have an open workout?
No. They are common for bigger events but not guaranteed, and the UFC has skipped them for some cards.
Do other combat sports hold them?
Yes. Boxing and other promotions use the same format to promote fights and give media access.
Sources
- ESPN. “News and notes from around the octagon.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.espn.com/blog/mma/post/_/id/3745/news-and-notes-from-around-the-octagon - UFC.com. “UFC 235 Open Workout Recap.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.ufc.com/news/ufc-235-open-workout-recap - UFC.com. “UFC 325 Fight Week Guide.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.ufc.com/ufc-325-fight-week-guide - UFC.com. “Fan Events Schedule: UFC 312.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.ufc.com/news/fan-events-schedule-ufc-312-du-plessis-vs-strickland-2-sydney-press-conference-ceremonial-weigh-ins - Target Center. “UFC Fight Night PR and Events Schedule.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.targetcenter.com/news/detail/ufc-fight-night-pr-events-schedule - Rogers Place. “UFC Open Workouts.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.rogersplace.com/ufc-open-workouts/ - Fox News. “Jon Jones skips open workout, spends time with fans instead.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/jon-jones-skips-open-workout-spends-time-with-fans-instead - Fox News. “Ronda Rousey not appearing at any media events ahead of UFC 207.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.foxnews.com/sports/ronda-rousey-not-appearing-at-any-media-events-ahead-of-ufc-207.amp - Sportskeeda. “Ben Askren displays quick hands at open workout ahead of boxing match against Jake Paul.” Accessed August 2026.
https://www.sportskeeda.com/mma/news-watch-ben-askren-displays-quick-hands-open-workout-ahead-boxing-match-jake-paul
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