March madness on BT Sport: UFC London, England's Test series in West Indies, a raft of Premier League matches, Champions League knockouts and a new MotoGP season headline a huge month of action

BT Sport is laying on an unprecedented spread of live sporting action for subscribers to get their teeth into this March.

From the knockout stages of the Champions League and UFC London, to England's Test series in the West Indies and a brand-new MotoGP season - there's something for everyone to enjoy.

With that in mind, it's never been a better time to join BT Sport, so read on for further details in our summary of the highlights coming your way across the month!

Champions League, Europa League and Europa Conference League knockouts

Europe's top competitions continue on BT Sport this month with the knockout stages of the Champions League, Europa League and inaugural Europa Conference League.

The greatest stage in club football, the Champions League, headlines our coverage as the round of 16 concludes with some tantalising clashes for fans of the finest competition on the continent. 

Six-time winners Liverpool head back to Anfield on 8 March with one foot in the quarter-finals after picking up a 2-0 victory at Italian champions Inter in the first leg.

The following day sees last season's beaten finalists Man City resume their quest for an elusive maiden Champions League trophy.

Pep Guardiola's side are effectively assured of a place in the draw for the last eight after thrashing Sporting 6-0 in the first leg. 

Meanwhile City's neighbours Manchester United's last 16 tie with two-time finalists Atletico Madrid is delicately poised ahead of the return leg at Old Trafford.

Diego Simeone's side looked to have secured a one-goal advantage to take to England before United's 19-year-old winger Anthony Elanga netted an equaliser five minutes after coming on as a 75th-minute substitute to make it all to play for on 15 March. 

The curtain falls on the last 16 in France where Chelsea will be looking to complete the job against French champions Lille.

Goals from Kai Havertz and Christian Pulisic sealed a 2-0 victory at Stamford Bridge to keep the Blues on course for back-to-back Champions League triumphs.

In the Europa League, the road to Sevilla continues with the last 16 of what has been a vintage campaign for the competition. 

After a thrilling round of play-offs that saw Rangers stun German giants Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona dispatch Napoli, the draw for the last 16 threw up another slate of mouth-watering ties.

Starting on 10 March with the first legs, 2008 finalists Rangers take on Serbian outfit Red Star Belgrade as the Scottish champions bid to build on their famous play-off triumph.

West Ham's European adventure continues with a tough assignment against the competition's most successful club, Sevilla. 

The Hammers sailed through the group stages with four wins from six, but face an uphill task in reaching the quarter-finals against the six-time winners.

Elsewhere Porto take on Lyon, Atalanta face 1988 winners Bayer Leverkusen and four-time semi-finalists Barcelona meet 2000 champions Galatasaray.

UFC London

The UFC is returning to London after a two-year hiatus with a thrilling night of fights in store from the O2 Arena in London. 

Having been kept away by Covid, the promotion has wasted no time rebooking one of the marquee shows on the MMA calendar, making a 12th trip to the British capital on Saturday 19 March.

The event will mark the first time the UFC has held an event outside of America or Abu Dhabi’s Fight Island since the pandemic began, rewarding the promotion’s strong support for fans of the UFC this side of the Atlantic.

As always, the event is expected to feature some of the best British talent currently plying their wares in the promotion.

But this year the calibre of talent on offer looks set to make it an even more special evening at the O2 Arena with multiple British contenders given the chance to showcase their skills on the biggest night in MMA this side of the water.

Rising heavyweight prospect Tom Aspinall is set to top the bill and fight in front of a raucous hometown crowd for the first time in the UFC, taking on the towering Russian Alexander Volkov for a place in the top five of the division.

Popular featherweight Arnold Allen looks as though he’s secured the big name he’s been crying out for to truly announce himself as a bonafide 145lb contender with a mouthwatering match-up against Dan Hooker.

The UFC has so far only confirmed those two fights but there are a number of other British names expected to appear in London.

Paddy Pimblett, aka Paddy the Baddy, looks all but a certainty to enjoy an incredible homecoming after his sensational debut last year while his Scouse team-mate Molly McCann is also likely to feature on the card.

UFC president Dana White said: "Every time we put on an event in London, it's an unbelievable experience. The fans are incredible, and the fights are always off the charts.

"It's a different kind of energy in England. And I can't wait to get back there with a fight card on March 19."

Premier League

BT Sport brings you live coverage of three top-flight games in the month of March as we approach the business end of the season.

In a trio of games that are sure to have huge ramifications on both ends of the Premier League table, Arsenal, Liverpool, Aston Villa and Leeds are all in action.

Our first live games comes from the King Power Stadium where Leicester City entertain Marcelo Biesla's Leeds.

The Yorkshire outfit are in free-fall at the moment and in desperate need of a win to halt their slide towards the drop zone. 

A 4-2 defeat at home to bitter rivals Man Utd followed by a humbling 6-0 loss at Liverpool three days later has seen Leeds plunged into trouble as March beckons.

Likewise Leicester will be hoping to address a worrying slump in form that has seen them go five league games without a win.

A week later the BT Sport cameras head to the south coast to see if Liverpool can close the gap on league leaders Man City. 

City's slip up at home to Spurs has let the Reds back into a title race that many presumed to be over earlier this month. 

But six Liverpool wins on the bounce has reeled City in with Jurgen Klopp's men smelling blood ahead of what is set to be a pivotal month in the battle to be crowned kings of English football.

As if that wasn't enough, top-four hopefuls Arsenal are in action a week later as they head to Aston Villa with the race for Champions League football hotting up. 

Manchester United currently hold the fourth and final qualification spot but back-to-back wins over top-four rivals Wolves has seen the Gunners close the gap.

Can Arsenal continue their remarkable renaissance under Mikel Arteta and end their five-year absence from the Champions League?

England vs West Indies Test series

England's quest for Ashes redemption begins with a three-match Test series against West Indies in the Caribbean. 

The Three Lions suffered a humiliating 4-0 defeat Down Under and captain Joe Root will be hoping his side can turn over a new leaf come the first Test takes place on 8 March in Antigua. 

In the aftermath of that thrashing, England head coach Chris Silverwood, director of cricket Ashley Giles and assistant coach Graham Thorpe all left their roles.

Indeed, the West Indies series marks the start of a new era for English cricket as the toursits prepare to play without their two leading wicket takers in Tests.

Veteran bowlers James Anderson and Stuart Broad were both shock omissions from the touring party to take on the West Indies as England look to blood a new generation of Test cricketers.

The decision to leave out two of England's greatest ever bowlers has been widely questioned, but interim managing director Andrew Strauss has insisted this isn't the end for Anderson and Broad.

"I want to emphasise this does not mean the end for them as England players," said Strauss, who has appointed former ODI captain Paul Collingwood as interim head coach for the series.

"We feel that it is important to look at some exciting new bowling potential and give some added responsibility to other players who have featured previously," he added.

"No-one doubts the quality and experience that James and Stuart bring to the England set-up. It will be up to the new managing director and permanent head coach to decide on whether they will be involved this summer and beyond.

"This selection of this squad is the start of a process and a journey to get England Test cricket back to where it needs to be - and the hard work starts now."

Can England exorcise the ghosts of Down Under with three Tests up for grabs in March? Or will the hosts inflict yet more misery for a cricketing nation in mourning?

MotoGP 2022

The greatest show on two wheels is back this month as a brand-new MotoGP season gets under way with back-to-back races in March. 

2022 is set to be the biggest ever in MotoGP history, with 21 dates pencilled into the Championship calendar - and you can watch every Grand Prix live on BT Sport.

Last season saw Yamaha's Fabio Quartararo became the first Frenchman to win the MotoGP title.

With Marc Marquez unlikely to be ready for the season opener in Qatar on March 6, the 22-year-old is the bookmakers' favourite to defend his crown this year.

Elsewhere, MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi may have retired but there are a number of new faces hoping to make their mark this season.

Five riders have been promoted to MotoGP, including Moto2 world champion Remy Gardner and his 2021 title rival and teammate Raul Fernandez.

Both riders will don the Tech3 KTM colours in their rookie season.

Last but not least Darryn Binder becomes just the second-ever rider, after Jack Miller, to move directly from Moto3 to MotoGP.

That's not all!

There’s also plenty, plenty more for BT Sport subscribers to enjoy in March, including the battle to be crowned kings of English rugby in the Gallagher Premiership.

League leaders Leicester Tigers remain on course for a first league title since 2013, while the race for the play-offs is hotting up with Harlequins, Exeter, Gloucester, Sale Sharks, London Irish and Wasps all fighting it out for a semi-final berth.

There's weekly domestic football action from the continent in Ligue and Serie A, as well as our twice weekly helpings from the WWE Universe with Monday Night Raw and Friday Night SmackDown.

That's just the best bits to look forward to, but check out our What's On page for our full March schedule.