The UFC has secured its broadcasting deal as they announced on Monday that they have struck a 7-year $7.7 billion deal that will see all UFC events go to Paramount + and CBS starting in 2026.
The shiny part of the deal? The end of the Pay-Per-View model when it comes to the UFC.
“This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans an our athletes. 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,” Dana White said in a press release.
“This deal puts the 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 out athletes and anyone who watched and loves this sport.”
The deal will get the UFC an average of $1.1 billion per year from Paramount marking the end of PPV. In the deal 13 premium events will be featured on Paramount+ and some will go to CBS.
30 Fight Night events will broadcast on Paramount+ per year bringing the total to 43 UFC events every year with Paramount+ and CBS.
The deal more than doubles what the UFC was getting from ESPN per year making it a huge win for the promotion.
“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. Paramount’s advantage lies in the expansive reach of our linear and streaming platforms,” Paramount CEO and Chairman David Ellison said in a statement.
“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.”
