Summary
- UFC moves on from PPV model with Paramount+ deal, bringing fights to over 50M new homes at more affordable prices
- Historic $7.7 billion media deal with Paramount+ marks UFC’s shift to mainstream, household sport status
- Deal expands UFC exposure, enticing return of icons like Jon Jones and Conor McGregor, with White House card planned
On the morning of August 11th, UFC President Dana White announced that Paramount+ will be the home of all UFC events starting in 2026. This puts the UFC in nearly 80 million homes, but more importantly, makes fights much cheaper for fans.
With this new media rights deal, the promotion has officially moved on from their traditional pay-per-view model on ESPN+.
Fans will no longer face the high costs associated with purchasing individual PPV events and will instead have access to all UFC content without additional fees.
“This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes,” said UFC CEO and President Dana White. “For the first time ever, fans in the US will have access to all UFC content without a Pay-Per-View model, making it more affordable and accessible to view the greatest fights on a massive platform. This deal puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world. The exposure provided by the Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge win for our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport.” – Dana White
The UFC was expected to partner with Netflix or Amazon Prime, or remain with ESPN. However, this new deal with CBS has put them at a level they have not reached before. Millions of Paramount+ users will have the ability to watch the UFC for no additional cost, continuing its expansion.
It was announced by the UFC that they have signed a groundbreaking seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal with Paramount Plus to broadcast all of their events. Paramount+ currently has 77.7 million subscribers, significantly more than the 24.1 million on ESPN+.
This deal not only supports the UFC financially, but will allow the company to grow into a household sport with a larger streaming audience, aiming to stand alongside the NBA and MLB in popularity.
This new deal could entice UFC icons such as Jon Jones and Conor McGregor to make their returns to the sport, as the promotion will be showcased on a much bigger platform. Paramount is also set to host the UFC’s first-ever White House card, setting the stage for what could be the most significant year in the company’s history.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by PostX News and is published from a syndicated feed.)
