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Last Updated On: January 7th, 2024
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is more than just a mere source of entertainment. It is a competitive sport that brings out fighters from around the globe to showcase their diverse fighting styles and satiate their hunger to dominate in the octagon. Fused with both drama and storytelling, UFC effortlessly garners over a million viewers via pay-per-view buys on major events. Over the last decade, it is not surprising to see UFC build its separate trading card community that has captured the attention of not only UFC sports enthusiasts but also of sports card collectors in general.
UFC trading cards showed up in the market in the year 2009 through the renowned American trading card company, Topps. Founded in 1938, Topps is a pioneer in producing sports trading cards. Given the company’s popularity in the trading card community, it became an exclusive manufacturer of UFC trading cards. Back in 2009, given the small roster of UFC fighters who were fans’ favorites, the released UFC fighter cards were already scarce, to begin with. As a subsequence, the prices of Topps UFC cards base sets rose rapidly due to an increase in demand and a shortage in supply.
Today, UFC cards that bear the name of Topps are worth hundreds or even thousands of dollars depending on their rarity, level of grade, and the fighter’s image a card displays. After Topps lost their licensing rights in 2021, UFC made an official announcement on entering into a new exclusive multi-year trading card agreement with Panini America.
In this ultimate guide, we’ll dive into the world of UFC trading cards. We’ll explore the best UFC trading card products like Panini Prizm UFC, Panini Chronicles, Topps Finest and Chrome UFC, while discussing rare card parallels, rookies, and highly sought-after inserts. We’ll also guide you to the best places to purchase packs, boxes, and cards, and even spotlight the popular Conor McGregor rookie card and several autograph cards.
Table of Contents
Panini UFC Cards
In the current market, Panini UFC cards are what you should be looking for. As mentioned above, after 11 years of partnership with Topps, UFC made the official leap to Panini America— joining hands and declaring them as the exclusive authorized producer of UFC collectible cards. In the last two years, Panini America has released other innovative UFC fighter cards sets such as the Panini Prizm UFC and Panini Chronicles UFC products.
Panini Prizm UFC
Panini Prizm UFC trading boxes are packed with a variety of cards where each type of card carries its separate value and rarity. These cards are identifiable with their unique designs that incorporate different color schemes, fonts, and more. For example, if you are aiming for a standard Blaster box, you will be guaranteed 6-card packs with 4 cards in each pack— a total of 24 cards. Special cards such as inserts, or Panini Prizm parallels can vary depending on the year of the retail, hobby, or blaster box purchased.
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Similarly, there is the Panini Prizm UFC Premium Box Set. A more expensive UFC trading cards complete box set limited to just 99 total sets produced. The premium set guarantees a 200-card base set alongside 1 Champion Signature. Panini released a Premium Box Set in both 2021, and 2022.
Here are some of the different types of Panini Prizm UFC cards you can expect to pull from Blaster, Hobby, Debut Edition, and similar packs and boxes.
Panini Prizm UFC Cards, Parallels, and Inserts
| Base Cards | It is the most common card of a fighter you can find. The base card illustrates the standard/primary design of a fighter’s picture, name, weight class, and other minor details. |
| Prizm Parallels | For the sole purpose of furthering the scarcity and value of the cards, Panini America, in their Panini Prizm UFC card sets came up with Prizm Parallels. These are UFC fighter cards that are covered in a thin foil of different colors. The colors are hierarchical in terms of scarcity and overall value. For example, speaking solely for the 2022 Base Set checklist, you have: – Red Prizms # /299 – Blue Prizms # /199 – Purple Prizms # /149 – Orange Prizms # /99 – Premium Box Set Prizms # /99 -Teal Prizms # /49 – Pink Pulsar Prizms # /42 – Green Pulsar Prizms # /25 – Mojo Prizms # /25 – Gold Prizms # /10 – Lucky Envelopes Prizms # /8 – Octagon Prizms # /8 – Blue Shimmer Prizms FOTL # /7 – Gold Shimmer Prizms FOTL # /5 – Black Prizms # 1/1 – Black Shimmer Prizms FOTL # 1/1 Green and silver Prizms are also valuable, however, once we reach the red parallel and make our way below it, the value goes up drastically— only a limited number of these parallels are manufactured as listed above. |
| UFC Fireworks Cards | Fireworks UFC insert cards are highly collectible due to their attention-grabbing vibrant color design with a riveting backdrop that resembles the sparks of a firework going off. |
| UFC Color Blast Cards | Another exciting and valuable insert by Panini America that you can hope to find when opening Panini Prizm UFC wax boxes is the Color Blast. As the name suggests, the Color Blast cards feature iconic poses of fighters with a colorful and bright toss of colored powder in the background. |
| Octagon of Honor Cards | This eye-catching insert features UFC fighters who have secured praiseworthy achievements or have made an influential impact in the sport. The design of Octagon of Honor cards is exclusive, and a golden octagon is perfectly visible in the backdrop of a fighter’s image. |
| Rookie Cards | Amateur fighters that have recently made their debut in the adrenaline-driven sport of the Ultimate Fighting Championship earn their spot among the Rookie cards. They are fairly uncommon and fetch a good appraisal if the featured rookie fighter is thriving in his/her present-day UFC career. A good example is Paddy Pimblett’s Rookie Card. |
| Autograph Cards | Everything is better and more prized with a featured signature. The Prizm autograph cards carry multiple variations as they come in different parallels. The rarer the color of the Parallel (such as Gold), the rarer will be the autograph card. |
| Instant Impact Cards | These cards are all about the future. These are UFC collectible cards found in the Prizm sets that depict UFC’s up-and-coming fighters that have the potential of making a breakthrough in the sport. Instant Impact cards are easily recognizable because of their large text that says, “Instant Impact.” Featuring the next generation of UFC fighters makes these cards highly sought-after. |
Panini Chronicles UFC
Panini America’s UFC Chronicles is another innovative trading cards product that carries its own unique selling point. In contrast to the Panini Prizm UFC product, Panini UFC Chronicles has greater versatility in its card designs. Where the Panini Prizm is more narrowed and focuses on a chrome-like sleek finish, the Chronicles series features multiple designs. In today’s market though, Panini Prizm cards are considered to be more collectible and the premium card brand.
Similar to the Panini Prizm UFC series, the Chronicles product also carries Insert cards— rare and valuable types of cards that incorporate different themes. Panini Prizm UFC cards have a greater range of Inserts compared to Chronicles.
Here are some of the inserts that Panini UFC Chronicles has to offer, with a full checklist including all the different parallels and inserts located here.
Panini Chronicles UFC Inserts
| Origin Insert | Compelling card designs that feature an image of the fighter with his/her name and weight class. Origin Insert cards can also carry the fighter’s autograph or Jersey Swatch whose value can then be judged via the color of the parallel. |
| Elite Insert | Elite Inserts are UFC collectible cards that feature retired and current UFC fighters. The cards have snippets that highlight fighter achievements, and the Elite Insert carries multiple variations with a foil finish. You can hope to find one with an autograph or memorabilia as well. The color of Parallel further determines the scarcity of an Elite Insert card. |
| Contenders Insert | The Contenders insert resembles an entry ticket to a UFC event. Exclusive to depicting autographs of the renowned fighters in the roster of UFC, there are also more common versions of the Contenders insert card that do not contain an autograph. |
| XR Insert | Out of all UFC Chronicles Inserts, the XR Insert’s overall layout is easily identifiable due to its vibrant chrome backdrop. You’ll find an XR Insert for a variety of fighters— old and new. |
| Spectra Insert | Similar to Elite Insert except for a different design. Just another Insert to further expand the scarcity of cards. |
| Luminance Insert | A more traditional design, the Luminance insert’s scarcity and value are further divided into different Parallels as many of the other inserts in the Chronicles product. |
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Topps UFC Cards
The cease in the production of Topps UFC cards has led to a progressive rise in prices. The added scarcity with the termination of the contract makes them invaluable. Not to mention, due to Topps’ renowned reputation for producing quintessential trading cards, there was already an excessive demand for the sets before Panini America took over.
Now, with the increase in the popularity of the sport and the factors mentioned previously, Topps UFC cards retain their noteworthy value in the current market. At the end of the day, the value of a card is determined by the rarity of the card, the name of the fighter, the level of grade, and the type of edition. Topps and Panini are both equally collectible in the eyes of a collector. The Top 20 Most Valuable UFC Cards Ever Sold include Topps and Panini America cards.
In the span of 11 years, Topps released multiple types/editions of UFC trading cards. For starters, there is the base set consisting of base cards, Topps Refractor cards (similar to Panini’s Prizm Parallels), UFC Topps Chrome, Rookie cards, UFC Topps Finest, multiple inserts, and more.
Topps Chrome UFC
Topps Chrome is a unique set in the arsenal of Topps UFC cards. The first batch of Topps Chrome UFC was released in 2017 and it quickly attracted a lot of collectors. The unique selling point of Topps Chromes lies in its fascinating design of cards which feature a chrome finish. These are high-end UFC trading cards and the shining aspect of them is a sight for sore eyes. Pictured above, a 2019 Topps Chrome UFC Blaster box includes 7 packs of cards with 4 cards per pack. These cards come with an additional pack containing 4 Sepia Refractor cards— cards with a high-end glow finish that fetch a decent value in the market.
Topps Chrome also incorporates rare inserts such as the Relic cards that come embedded with a piece of fighter’s fight-worn fabric. In other words, it gives a collector tangible memorabilia and increases the value of the card. Today, some of the best UFC trading cards of Topps Chrome include:
- Ronda Rousey 2017 Topps Chrome Autograph card
- Khabib Nurmagomedov 2018 Topps Chrome Autograph Card
- Conor McGregor 2017 Topps Chrome UFC Refractor Autograph
The number of packs per box varies depending on the year and release of Topps Chrome.
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UFC Topps Finest
Just like Chrome, Topps created a set of UFC fighter cards called Topps Finest UFC that includes some of the best UFC competitors in the world. Topps Finest UFC contains autographs, relic cards, base cards, and rare inserts. These Topps UFC cards are impeccable in terms of their A-class quality and glossy finishes.
After its first release in 2012, the Topps Finest UFC collection has grown in popularity and scarcity among fans of UFC trading cards. The above picture shows a standard 2012 edition Topps Finest box; the Master box lands you 6 autographed or 6 relic cards. A Master Box contains two mini-boxes with each consisting of six packs of cards, and five cards in each pack. Check out the video below to see a full box break of 2012 Topps Finest UFC!
Besides the regular Topps Finest set edition, there are special editions of UFC Topps Finest cards that are highly sought-after and collectible in today’s market. For example, some cards may feature a fighter’s signature or contain a piece of their fight-worn gear or memorabilia. As always, the level of grade and the face of the fighter determines the value of a Topps Finest card as well.
Where to Buy UFC Trading Cards
The most reliable options when it comes to purchasing UFC Trading Cards are online retailers such as eBay, Amazon, Walmart, and of course Dave and Adam’s. Pick the sellers/products with at least 4 or more stars. A quick scan of the seller’s previous dealings is always a wise choice as well. Apart from online retailers, there are the official websites of Topps and Panini America for ordering original UFC trading cards sets.
You can also find collectors near by, and join Facebook groups dedicated to UFC trading cards.
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Best UFC Card Boxes to Buy
Here are a couple eBay searches where you can buy several of the UFC boxes and cards mentioned throughout this article:
- *NEW* 2023 Panini Immaculate Collection UFC Box (search eBay)
- 2022 Panini Immaculate Collection UFC Box (search eBay)
- 2021 Panini Prizm UFC Debut Edition Box (search eBay)
- 2022 Panini Prizm UFC Box (search eBay)
- 2022 Panini Prizm UFC cards (search eBay)
- 2021 Panini Chronicles UFC box (search eBay)
- 2021 Panini Chronicles UFC cards (search eBay)
- 2012 Topps Finest UFC cards (search eBay)
- 2017 Topps Chrome UFC box (search eBay)
- 2017 Topps Chrome UFC cards (search eBay)
- 2019 Topps Chrome UFC box (search eBay)
- 2019 Topps Chrome UFC cards (search eBay)
Conor McGregor Rookie Card
Conor McGregor is the epitome of pure entertainment. His raw talent in MMA and his knack for creating drama earned him a devoted fanbase from an early start. Gradually, the commentators picked up on iconic nicknames for him such as the Notorious, the fighting Irish, Silverback, and so on. Not to mention, Conor gained the unprecedented achievement of being the first UFC fighter ever to hold not one but two UFC championships where each title belonged to a different weight class.
In the present, Conor’s career in the UFC has taken quite the blow with 6 recorded losses to his name; however, the Conor McGregor Rookie card preserves his prime era where he decimated his opponents with ease: combined with his still very much thriving fanbase, Conor McGregor Rookie cards are fairly scarce, and highly sought after. That is why they are some of the most valuable UFC trading cards. With a limited production of the 2013 Topps UFC Conor McGregor Bloodlines Autographed card, a pristine PSA 10 grade is one of the more expensive and rare ufc cards.
Conor McGregor 2013 Topps UFC Bloodlines Autograph Rookie Card
Conor McGregor Autograph Cards
Being amongst the most widely recognized faces in the UFC, Conor McGregor’s signature is a big deal. Similar to the signed rookie card above, other Conor McGregor signed cards consistently fetch a five-figure price tag.
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Conor McGregor 2015 Topps UFC Chronicles Autograph Card
Conor McGregor 2017 Topps Chrome UFC Hot Box Refractor Autograph
Conor McGregor 2014 Topps UFC Knockout Autograph (1st on card auto)
Conclusion
Whether you are a mixed martial arts enthusiast or a dedicated sports cards collector, it is an optimal time to jump on the UFC trading cards bandwagon. With the popularity of the UFC and with the wave of new fighters making their way to the octagon, the UFC trading card community will continue to thrive. It’ll be interesting to see how the sports card hobby evolves with the completion of the UFC and WWE merger, and two seemingly different fanbases set to collide.
How long is the UFC/Panini contract – what year does it stop…I’m thinking Fanatics (Topps) will want to gobble up a UFC deal to produce cards.
Funny you ask — everywhere I see it is talked about as a “multi-year” contract, but nothing specific. Agreed on Fanactics going affter UFC licensing as soon as they get a chance!