The UFC will move to a new streaming home next year.
The MMA promotion's exclusive partnership with paramount-seven-year-streaming-deal" rel="sponsored" class="affiliate-link">ESPN expires at the close of 2025, and UFC CEO Dana White has dropped more than a few hints about a shift in broadcast partners. For months, rumors had swirled that the company might align with streaming heavyweights such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, drawn by their global reach and ability to deliver high-volume content to millions of subscribers worldwide.
However, in a twist that few saw coming, the UFC announced on Monday that it had signed a landmark seven-year media rights deal with Paramount Skydance, making Paramount+ the exclusive U.S. destination for every UFC event.
From 2026 onward, Paramount will shell out an average of $1.1 billion annually, totaling a staggering $7.7 billion over seven years, to become the exclusive distributor of the MMA giant’s full lineup of 13 premier numbered events and 30 Fight Nights.
Every event will stream on the direct-to-consumer platform Paramount+, with select numbered events also simulcast on CBS. In a major shift, the deal scraps the traditional pay-per-view model, instead offering these premium cards at no extra cost to Paramount+’s vast U.S. subscriber base.
Dana White Talks About UFC's New Streaming Deal With Paramount
Following the announcement of the UFC’s landmark partnership with the Paramount network, Dana White took to social media to share his thoughts on the deal. White voiced his excitement over moving away from the longtime pay-per-view model, predicting that the shift would open the doors to a larger audience than ever before and propel the sport to unprecedented heights.
This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes, White shared in a press release on X. "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.
