UFC has a deal. And it appears to be a unanimous victory for its fans.
On Monday, the TKO-owned MMA giant announced that it has reached a seven-year, $7.7 billion rights deal with Paramount, which marks the media conglomerate’s first major move following the completion of its merger with Skydance. As a part of the deal, the Paramount+ streaming service will become the home of UFC’s 13 monthly premium events, as well as 30 Fight Nights, with select events being simulcast on CBS.
Notably, the deal calls for UFC to end its longstanding pay-per-view model, meaning Paramount+ subscribers will receive access to all of these events without an additional charge.
“The pay-per-view model is a thing of the past,” TKO president and chief operating officer Mark Shapiro told CNBC in an interview. “What’s on pay-per-view anymore? Boxing? Movies on DirecTV? It’s an outdated, antiquated model. So, it was paramount to us – forgive the pun – where it’s one-stop shopping, especially for our younger fans in flyover states. When they find out, ’Wait, if I just sign up for Paramount+ for $12.99 a month, I’m going to automatically get UFC’s numbered fights and the rest of the portfolio? That’s a message we want to amplify.”
Added Paramount CEO David Ellison in a statement: “I couldn’t be more excited to join forces with Dana [White], Ari [Emanuel], and Mark [Shapiro]. 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.”
While UFC had previously indicated that its next media rights deal would include multiple partners, it doesn’t appear that will be the case, as Ellison referred to the deal as “exclusive.” UFC had reportedly been negotiating with its current media rights partner, ESPN, as well as Netflix, Amazon and TNT Sports, with Paramount ultimately emerging as victorious as a dark horse contender.
Between both the price and potential exposure, the UFC’s new deal is obviously a massive one for the company. Not only did it manage to increase its rights fee to an average annual payout of more than $1 billion per year, but the end of the pay-per-view model promises to provide easier access to potential viewers and fans. The deal marks the second major contract TKO has landed in the pas few days following last week’s news that WWE’s Premium Live Events will move to ESPN in the spring of 2026.
As for Paramount, the addition of UFC adds another major asset to the its portfolio, which also includes the NFL, the Final Four, Big Ten Football, various PGA Tournaments and the UEFA Champions League. It also signals the company’s desire to remain a major player in sports under its new ownership, with UFC’s rights being one of the last remaining available major assets until MLB’s rights expire following the 2028 season.
About Ben Axelrod
Ben Axelrod is a veteran of the sports media landscape, having most recently worked for NBC's Cleveland affiliate, WKYC. Prior to his time in Cleveland, he covered Ohio State football and the Big Ten for outlets including Cox Media Group, Bleacher Report, Scout and Rivals.