Dana White Sets the Record Straight on UFC Pay-Per-View Under Paramount Deal

Now, however, it seems like Dana White is walking back on that promise to get rid of the PPV model, and he has since set the record straight regarding how the UFC will offer their fight cards to fans.

In an exclusive interview with the New York Post, White clarified that select events will still utilize the traditional PPV model.

“There’s no pay-per-view involved in this deal,” White told the New York Post. “Pay-per-view is not dead.”

White’s comments come amid the UFC’s landmark seven-year agreement with Paramount, which will move all 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Nights to Paramount+ starting in 2026, with select cards simulcast on CBS.

While his initial post on X announcing the Paramount deal highlighted the expanded accessibility for fans, the recent comments also leave the door open for high-profile events, such as a potential Conor McGregor comeback or the White House event, to remain behind a PPV wall.

White told New York Post’s Eric Richter, “Let’s say there’s a scenario: I am involved in boxing, I am involved in slapping, I am involved in jiu-jitsu, and I’m involved in the UFC. What I love about this business is, I can lay out what we think the fights are going to be for a year, and a fight will pop up that I never saw coming. A star will pop up out of somewhere. Anything is possible. And you could do a one-off pay-per-view.” 

The PPV model will likely linger for the right fights, ensuring the promotion retains its financial and cultural leverage. This comment could also imply, however, that Dana believes there are no current active fighters on the UFC roster that would be able to sell PPV cards, given that he is waiting for a star to “pop up out of somewhere.”

This potential hybrid model could address concerns and criticisms about losing the spectacle of marquee PPVs, which have driven fighter pay and fan engagement for decades.

There is much to speculate, but for now, Dana White will honor the UFC’s ESPN PPV commitments through 2025, in addition to September’s Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford boxing match on Netflix. Time will tell how the Paramount and CBS broadcast options come off to the UFC’s casual fans and hardcore devotees.