UFC Inks Landmark Deal with Paramount and CBS

A Major Shift From Pay-Per-View

The move signals a departure from the UFC’s long-standing pay-per-view model. Since 2019, UFC fans in the U.S. have accessed events through ESPN and ESPN+. Often paying up to $80 per numbered event on top of a streaming subscription. The Paramount+ deal promises to put UFC events in front of more viewers, potentially lowering the cost barrier for fans and increasing the sport’s mainstream reach.

“This deal puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world,” UFC CEO Dana White posted on X. “The exposure provided by the Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge win for our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport.”

Why Paramount?

For Paramount, this agreement reflects a broader strategy to use live sports as a driver for streaming growth and audience loyalty.

“Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy driving engagement, subscriber growth, and long term loyalty,” Paramount CEO David Ellison said in a statement. “The addition of UFC’s year round must watch events to our platforms is a major win.”

Mark Shapiro, president and COO of TKO. Emphasized that the expanded visibility will benefit both fans and fighters, leading to “deeper engagement” with the UFC’s passionate audience.

ESPN Era Ending in 2025

UFC’s current partnership with ESPN and Disney, which began in 2019, will remain in place through December 2025. That deal helped UFC grow its streaming presence and strengthen its U.S. audience, but the Paramount+ contract represents a more integrated distribution strategy pairing streaming accessibility with the massive reach of CBS.

International Possibilities

Paramount also plans to explore acquiring UFC rights outside the U.S. “as they become available,” signaling an ambition to expand its footprint in the sport globally.

The announcement comes just days after Skydance and Paramount officially closed their $8 billion merger, further positioning the company to compete aggressively in the live sports market.