UFC and Paramount+ Strike Game-Changing Deal — A New Era for MMA Fans

UFC and Paramount+ Reach New Streaming Deal

News broke today that the UFC has inked a massive seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights deal with Paramount and Skydance Sports. Starting in 2026, all UFC content—including 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Nights per year—will stream exclusively on Paramount+, with select marquee fights simulcast on CBS. This marks a huge shift in how fight fans will watch events.

This isn’t the first time Paramount has been in the fight game — back in its Spike TV days, the network helped bring MMA into the mainstream by airing The Ultimate Fighter and early UFC programming. That era played a massive role in the sport’s explosion, and now, almost two decades later, Paramount is back in the Octagon. Paramount also owned and aired Bellator MMA for years, helping build one of the sport’s top promotions before selling it in 2023.

What UFC and Paramount+ Mean for Fans

A Big Win for Fans’ Wallets

The new model is a clear win for fans’ wallets. For $12.99 a month, subscribers will get access to all UFC events — a big departure from the ESPN+ model that charged $79.99 per pay-per-view plus a monthly subscription fee.

Fighter Pay Changes

One interesting wrinkle: fighters will no longer be receiving pay-per-view points under this setup. While that could mean a shake-up in athlete compensation, there’s hope that TKO Group Holdings — the parent company of UFC and WWE — will find new ways to ensure fighters benefit from this expanded reach.

Simplifying Streaming

From a sports fan’s perspective, the biggest relief might be cutting down on the number of streaming services you need just to watch your favorite events. Ironically, we moved to streaming to escape the high costs of cable, but with so many platforms now, it’s often just as expensive — or more. This deal simplifies that, at least for MMA.

The Death of PPV?

In my view, 2025 will mark the official death of the PPV model for major sports, with boxing likely to follow suit. We’ve already seen hints of it, like Netflix hosting the Paul vs. Tyson fight. It’s exciting, fresh, and a bold move from TKO. For fans, it means more access. For the sport, it could mean a bigger audience. And if you’re into the stock market… well, now might be the time to keep an eye on TKO shares.

Final Thoughts

The speculation is over — the UFC’s streaming future is set. Let’s hope both the fans and the fighters come out on top.