UFC Jumps to Paramount in $7.7 Billion Deal Inked Days Ahead of ESPN Streaming Launch
The new deal will see all of UFC's marquee events and premium fights on Paramount+ at no additional charge.
Shortly ahead of the launch of the new ESPN streaming platform, news has arrived that will see much of the UFC content jumping to Paramount+ next year in a $7.7 billion deal.
What’s Happening:
- Paramount (now a Skydance Corporation) and TKO (parent company of the WWE and UFC) have announced a seven-year media rights agreement in which Paramount will become the exclusive home of all UFC events in the U.S.
- Starting in 2026, Paramount will exclusively distribute UFC's full slate of 13 marquee numbered events and 30 Fight Nights via Paramount+, with select numbered events to be simulcast on CBS.
- As part of the agreement, UFC and Paramount will move away from UFC's existing Pay-Per-View model in favor of making these premium events available at no additional cost to the expansive U.S. subscriber base of Paramount+.
- Paramount intends to explore UFC rights outside the U.S. as they become available in the future.
- UFC is the world's premier mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. UFC events take place year-round with approximately 43 live events annually, delivering more than 350 hours of live event content.
- In the U.S., UFC has approximately 100 million fans who are highly engaged across linear, digital, and social platforms.
- Further, UFC is one of the few truly global sports properties, with programming reaching nearly 950 million broadcast and digital households across more than 210 countries and territories in 50 languages.
- The seven-year term, which begins in 2026, has an average annual value of $1.1 billion, with the contract's payment schedule weighted more toward the back end of the deal.
What They’re Saying:
- David Ellison, Chairman and CEO of Paramount: "I couldn't be more excited to join forces with Dana, Ari, and Mark. Rarely do opportunities arise to partner on an exclusive basis with a global sports powerhouse like UFC – an organization with extraordinary global recognition, scale, and cultural impact. Paramount's advantage lies in the expansive reach of our linear and streaming platforms. Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy — driving engagement, subscriber growth, and long-term loyalty, and the addition of UFC's year-round must-watch events to our platforms is a major win. We look forward to delivering this premium content to millions of fans in the U.S., and potentially beyond."
- Ariel Emanuel, Executive Chair and CEO, TKO: "This is a milestone moment and landmark deal for UFC, solidifying its position as a preeminent global sports asset. Our decade-long journey with UFC has been defined by continuous growth and expansion, and this agreement is an important realization of our strategy. We believe wholeheartedly in David's vision and look forward to being in business with a company that will prioritize technology as a means to enhance storytelling and the overall viewing experience."
- Mark Shapiro, President and COO, TKO: "Paramount is a platinum partner with significant reach. Our new agreement unlocks powerful opportunities at TKO for years to come – meaningful economics for investors; expanded premium inventory for global brand partners; and deeper engagement for UFC's passionate fanbase. Just as importantly, our athletes will love this new stage."
ESPN- :
- UFC was a pretty big staple of ESPN+, using the platform to stream much of its content, including the competition series, The Ultimate Fighter.
- It was also the home of those aforementioned marquee events and many of the headlining pay-per-view fights and events.
- Now, days ahead of the launch of the new ESPN streaming platform, we get this news that the big UFC fights and content are heading over to Paramount+.
- Interestingly, TKO recently inked a deal with ESPN to bring marquee WWE events to the network and new streaming service.
- So now, they have the marquee WWE events, but seem to be losing a lot of real fights in the process.
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