LEGENDARY SETS

I have often remarked that the 2009 Topps UFC Round 1 set is like the 1986 Fleer Basketball set of MMA. This statement isn’t directly comparing the inaugural UFC set to the iconic basketball set with Michael Jordan’s rookie card but rather highlighting the similarities the two sets share.

ROOKIE CARDS:

Both sets stand out for their large number of rookie cards. The 1986 Fleer Basketball set, the first mainstream basketball release in five years after Topps last issued a set in 1981-82, contains 70 rookies among its 132 cards. Meanwhile, the 2009 Topps UFC Round 1 marks the first licensed UFC card set—released 16 years after the inaugural UFC event—with all 99 cards being considered rookie cards.

STAR POWER:

Both collections feature legendary athletes. The basketball set includes rookie cards for Michael Jordan, Charles Barkley, Hakeem Olajuwon, and Karl Malone. Meanwhile, the UFC set highlights rookie cards for Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, Chuck Liddell, and Randy Couture.

The Fleer set includes thirty-two basketball players who have been inducted into the Naismith Basketball Hall of Fame, while the Round 1 set presents nineteen fighters who are members of the UFC Hall of Fame, and twenty-three UFC champions.

CARD CONDITION:

Both sets are condition sensitive and have been known for their soft edges and tendency to chip, which are frequent concerns among collectors. High grades command a premium within the collecting community.

According to PSA population data as of February 11, 2026, the likelihood of a card achieving a PSA 10 grade is 4.30% for 1986 Fleer Basketball cards and 3.97% for 2009 Topps UFC Round 1 cards.

PRINT RUNS (This is where the similarities end.)

🏀1986 Fleer Basketball

According to @cardchannel, the production is estimated to have been approximately 6,250 cases.

🥊2009 Topps UFC Round 1

The set had limited print and the most limited of any Topps UFC release. Calculated by many following the product to be between 480-500 cases.

Source: MMA Rookies, PSA, @Cardchannel, TCDB