MMA News

Tag: Paramount

  • UFC Planning Massive Paramount Debut Event, Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje Likely Headliner

    UFC Planning Massive Paramount Debut Event, Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje Likely Headliner

    It’s been assumed that the UFC will want a massive event for its Paramount premiere, and while UFC CEO and President Dana White has planned such, a new report hints at what potentially could be the headliner for that first card.

    Per a new report from Alvaro Colmenero, Ilia Topuria is expected to make his first defense of the UFC lightweight championship in January, with the most likely opponent being former interim champion Justin Gaethje.

    Colmenero reportedly told EuroSport Network that this is the matchup the UFC is looking for to open its contract with Paramount. He adds that the premiere UFC event with Paramount will take place in Los Angeles, though it was not directly stated if this would be at the Intuit Dome or the Crypto.com Arena.

    Ilia Topuria vs. Justin Gaethje Lightweight Title Fight For UFC’s First Event With Paramount?

    In August, the UFC signed a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount to be the new U.S. broadcasting partner of the UFC. Beginning in January 2026, UFC cards will air on the Paramount+ streaming service, with select cards to be simulcasted on local CBS stations.

    During the UFC 320 post-fight press conference, White did not name a particular headliner for any January event — numbered or Fight Night. He, however, did tease a massive card for the first UFC event on Paramount before shifting focus to the White House card later that summer.

    “We’re about to go on a new network, on Paramount, and we need to deliver a massive, incredible card in January,” White said. “And then in February, we’ll start looking at building the White House card, which I will right now tell you will be the greatest fight card ever assembled in the history of of of definitely this company.”

    Topuria had won the UFC featherweight title with a finish of Alexander Volkanovski at UFC 298. After retaining with a finish of Max Holloway at UFC 308, Topuria vacated that title to face Charles Oliveira for the vacant UFC lightweight championship at UFC 317. Topuria won the belt with a first-round knockout of the former champion.

    Gaethje would enter this title fight off winning a rematch with Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 in March. Gaethje defeated Tony Ferguson for the interim lightweight title at UFC 249 but fell short in fights with Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 254 and Oliveira at UFC 274. Gaethje is also a former BMF champion, defeating Dustin Poirier for the title at UFC 291 before losing to Holloway at UFC 300.

    Paramount also recently signed a new deal with Zuffa Boxing, which will fully launch in 2026 after serving as the promoter for Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford.

  • Zuffa Boxing Broadcast Deal Puts Events On Paramount Platforms Starting 2026

    Zuffa Boxing Broadcast Deal Puts Events On Paramount Platforms Starting 2026

    Zuffa Boxing has found its exclusive streaming home with Paramount+.

    On Monday, TKO Group, the parent company of UFC and WWE, revealed that its boxing promotion will stream exclusively on Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America, with Paramount Skydance Corp. serving as the exclusive broadcast partner.

    The partnership will kick off in 2026 with 12 live cards and supplemental programming, with plans for further expansion in the years ahead.

    According to a press release, the fights will be accessible through Paramount’s direct-to-consumer streaming service, Paramount+. Beyond 2026, the number of live cards is set to grow, with select bouts also slated to air on CBS and other Paramount streaming platforms.

    Zuffa Boxing is the newly launched professional boxing promotion created by TKO Group in partnership with entertainment conglomerate Sela. It is led by a powerhouse team including UFC CEO Dana White, Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the Saudi General Entertainment Authority, Sela CEO Dr. Rakan Alharthy, and WWE President and TKO director Nick Khan.

    The announcement comes on the heels of UFC’s major broadcasting shift from ESPN to Paramount, sealed last month with a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal set to begin in 2026. Under the agreement, UFC will feature a full schedule of 13 premier numbered events and 30 Fight Nights, marking a move away from most traditional pay-per-view models.

    Dana White and Turki Alalshikh
    Image: @Turki_alalshikh/Instagram

    Dana White Weighs In On Zuffa Boxing Deal With Paramount

    Dana White expressed his enthusiasm about the Zuffa Boxing deal with Paramount. The UFC CEO highlighted that the partnership will bring high-quality boxing to a global audience, giving fans access to both rising talent and established stars.

    “I’m excited to bring great boxing events to a global audience,” White said in a press release. “There are millions of boxing fans that will now be able to watch competitive fights with up-and-coming boxers as well as the biggest stars in the sport. Paramount will be the home for UFC and boxing fans to watch the greatest fights in combat sports.”

    Image: CBSSports.com
  • Zuffa Boxing Nearing Broadcast Deal With Paramount

    Zuffa Boxing Nearing Broadcast Deal With Paramount

    Another piece of the ventures under the Dana White umbrella — let alone the TKO umbrella — may soon be joining Paramount in short time.

    Per a report from John Ourand of The Puck, Zuffa Boxing is likely to sign a broadcasting deal with Paramount, with an announcement coming as soon as possibly next week.

    MMA Fighting adds that the nearing deal may connect with White’s social media posts last week that originally teased a big day before stating he jumped the gun on the post.

    Zuffa Boxing Near Deal With Paramount

    If this report is true, it would give TKO its second combat sports broadcasting deal with Paramount following its merger with Skydance. Last month, the UFC and Paramount agreed to a seven-year, $7.7 million deal that would see UFC events broadcasted on the Paramount+ streaming service, with certain numbered cards simulcasted on linear CBS channels.

    It was reported last month that the two sides were in “advanced talks.”

    Zuffa Boxing — run by UFC CEO and President Dana White, as well as WWE President Nick Khan, and financially backed by the Saudi Arabia General Entertainment Authority — officially launches in 2026, following its promotion of the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight earlier this month.

    TKO is looking at holding monthly Zuffa Boxing cards, as well as a couple of special “supercards” in a calendar year.

  • UFC Fans Hit Again With Price Hike Ahead Of MMA Promotion’s ESPN Broadcast Deal Coming To An End In 2025

    UFC Fans Hit Again With Price Hike Ahead Of MMA Promotion’s ESPN Broadcast Deal Coming To An End In 2025

    UFC fans in the U.S. will have to shell out more to catch the action on ESPN networks.

    Back in 2019, the UFC inked a five-year exclusive broadcasting deal with ESPN. Throughout the partnership, ESPN aired the promotion’s full lineup of events on its television network and ESPN+ streaming platform, while also holding the rights to distribute pay-per-view cards.

    As the ESPN deal nears its conclusion at the end of 2025, the UFC has striked a staggering seven-year, $7.7 billion agreement with Paramount Skydance. Under the new arrangement, the promotion will move away from the traditional PPV model for its biggest events, instead broadcasting these cards live to Paramount+ subscribers at no additional cost.

    ESPN still has four UFC PPV events remaining before their departure, but viewers will have to pay extra to catch three of those cards.

    UFC Octagon
    Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC

    ESPN To Hike Streaming Costs From October With UFC Exit On The Horizon

    On Tuesday, Disney, ESPN’s parent company, revealed that ESPN+ has been officially rebranded as ESPN Select. The announcement also included price hikes across several of Disney’s streaming services, including Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select, as well as increases to bundled packages. These changes will also impact UFC fans.

    Beginning October 21, the monthly subscription for ESPN Select will rise from $11.99 to $12.99, while the annual plan will increase from $119.99 to $129.99. Fans can also access ESPN Select content through the new ESPN Unlimited streaming service, priced at $29.99 per month or $299.99 per year.

    Meanwhile, bundle pricing is also set to rise. The ad-supported Disney+, Hulu, and ESPN Select package will increase from $16.99 to $19.99 per month, while the ad-free version will climb from $26.99 to $29.99 per month.

    Since launching its streaming service, ESPN has consistently raised subscription prices year after year. The recent hikes also extend to the UFC’s PPV events, which previously cost $59.99 and now run $79.99.

    By comparison, Paramount+ is priced at $7.99 per month with ads or $12.99 per month for the ad-free tier. While the company has not announced any upcoming price changes, an increase seems possible once the UFC’s new broadcast deal begins next year.

  • Joe Rogan Hopes UFC Maintains ESPN Ties Despite Historic Paramount+ Agreement

    Joe Rogan Hopes UFC Maintains ESPN Ties Despite Historic Paramount+ Agreement

    Joe Rogan hopes UFC’s latest deal won’t sever ties with its longtime partner.

    The UFC’s exclusive five-year rights agreement with ESPN is set to conclude at the close of 2025. The promotion has already locked in its next landmark deal with a seven-year, $7.7 billion U.S. broadcasting partnership with Paramount Skydance Corporation.

    During its partnership with the UFC, ESPN showcased the promotion’s full slate of events across both its television network and the ESPN+ streaming platform, while holding exclusive rights to distribute pay-per-views.

    The sports media powerhouse also delivered extensive UFC coverage and featured several former fighters as analysts and commentators. However, with the UFC now shifting to a new broadcast home, questions remain about how ESPN’s role in covering the sport will evolve moving forward.

    UFC-ESPN broadcast deal to conclude at the end of 2025
    Image: ESPN.com

    Joe Rogan Wants UFC To Keep ESPN Association Despite Paramount+ Switch In 2026

    During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the veteran UFC commentator weighed in on the promotion’s new broadcasting deal with Paramount+. While Joe Rogan voiced his enthusiasm for the partnership set to kick off next year, he also admitted he hopes the UFC won’t sever its relationship with ESPN, which he sees as a crucial bridge to casual sports fans.

    The 58-year-old acclaimed podcaster emphasized that ESPN remains a vital gateway for introducing new audiences to the world of MMA.

    “I’m kind of bummed out, and I hope they don’t lose the relationship that they had with ESPN with all their MMA shows,” Joe Rogan said. “I hope they don’t go, like, ‘F**k them. They went to Paramount.’ I hope it’s a mutually beneficial thing, like the UFC at least does some content still on ESPN, because I think that’s also a big factor in pulling people from casual viewers that watch other sports that might occasionally watch a UFC fight and then they see, like, Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway and they’re like, ‘Holy sh*t.’

    “And then they’re hooked. Having that coverage on SportsCenter, that shit’s huge. Having those post-fight shows on ESPN+, that sh*t is huge for the real dorks like me, that’s huge.”

    As part of the new agreement, Paramount+ will become the primary U.S. destination for all 13 numbered UFC pay-per-view cards and 30 Fight Night events annually. Every fight will stream live on the platform, while select high-profile cards will also receive a primetime broadcast on Paramount’s flagship network, CBS.

    The UFC will also move away from its long-standing pay-per-view model, making every event accessible to Paramount+ subscribers. However, UFC CEO Dana White has hinted that the promotion may roll out special “one-off” PPV cards on rare occasions.

    UFC Octagon
    Image: UFC.com


  • Joe Rogan Predicts UFC’s $7.7 Billion Paramount Plus Deal Will Send MMA ‘Through The Roof’

    Joe Rogan Predicts UFC’s $7.7 Billion Paramount Plus Deal Will Send MMA ‘Through The Roof’

    Joe Rogan is bullish on the UFC’s new broadcast deal.

    The UFC’s exclusive five-year rights deal with ESPN will wrap up at the end of 2025, and the promotion has already lined up its next historic chapter with a seven-year, $7.7 billion U.S. broadcasting partnership with Paramount Skydance Corporation.

    Paramount+ will serve as the premier U.S. home for all 13 marquee numbered UFC cards and 30 Fight Night events each year. Every bout will stream on the platform, with select blockbuster cards also airing simultaneously on Paramount’s flagship network, CBS.

    The biggest shake-up for fans sees the UFC abandoning the traditional pay-per-view model, putting every event within reach for Paramount+ subscribers. In the U.S., plans range from $7.99 to $12.99 a month for the ad-free tier that also includes Showtime. Still, UFC CEO Dana White has teased the possibility of occasional “one-off” pay-per-view events.

    UFC CEO Dana White
    Image: UFC/YouTube

    Joe Rogan Sees UFC-Paramount+ Move As A Massive Win For MMA Fans

    During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the long-time UFC commentator shared his take on the promotion’s blockbuster deal with Paramount+. Rogan believes replacing the conventional pay-per-view model with an all-access streaming approach could be a game-changer, drawing in a wave of new fans and expanding the reach of MMA to a broader, more diverse audience than ever before.

    “Through the roof,” Joe Rogan said. “And it’s a super smart move for Paramount. What a great move to not just have the UFC for seven years, but to have it for free. How much does it cost a month? Ten bucks, let’s say it’s ten bucks. That’s crazy. That’s a $120 a year, you can watch every UFC pay-per-view? Two UFC pay-per-views is, like, 140 bucks, right? Isn’t it? Aren’t they, like, $70? So you get all of them. Everything’s free? That’s incredible. This sport is going to go f**king hypernova.”

    Joe Rogan, who first joined the UFC in 1997 as a backstage interviewer at UFC 12, has witnessed the promotion’s evolution through every major broadcast era, from Spike TV to FOX to ESPN.

    Now, as Dana White confirmed, the 58-year-old MMA mainstay isn’t going anywhere; Rogan will be front and center as the UFC enters its new chapter with Paramount.

  • UFC & Paramount: Why Fans Are the Biggest Winners and Fighters The Biggest Losers

    UFC & Paramount: Why Fans Are the Biggest Winners and Fighters The Biggest Losers

    Fans are going to win big with the UFC’s new Paramount partnership. Unfortunately, the same can’t be said for fighters.

    On Monday, it was announced that the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s broadcasting deal with ESPN+ will end after Paramount plunked down $7.7 billion to obtain the company’s exclusive streaming rights for the next seven years starting in 2026.

    Perhaps the most exciting bit of news is the fact that fans will no longer have to shell out $80 per month for pay-per-view events as all UFC cards, including premium numbered shows, will air exclusively on on Paramount’s streaming service, effectively killing the promotion’s antiquated pay-per-view era.

    That’ll save UFC fans nearly $1,000 annually, but it may come with a cost.

    “The fans are big winners because now it goes from having a plus subscription, plus having to buy pay-per-views for $79.99,” Ariel Helwani said while discussing the UFC/Paramount deal. “If you’re a hardcore fan, that equals approximately $1,000 a year. Now, you don’t have to do that anymore. And as of right now, it’s either eight bucks or 13 bucks to be a Paramount+ subscriber. Way cheaper than being an ESPN Plus UFC fan.”

    “The fighters, to me, they’re the big losers here. Not because the viewership gets affected, that remains to be seen. But they’re sitting here watching all the executives wave their pompoms and say how great this is. They’re hearing Dana White say, this is good for the fighters. So I ask, how is it good for the fighters? Is the base pay going up? Is the introductory pay going up? Are they getting rid of the show-win model? Are the performance bonuses now going to be $100k a pop as opposed to 50k? What becomes of the champions with pay-per-view points? No one has told the fighters. They didn’t consult them. They don’t have to. There’s no collective bargaining agreement.”

    Dana White confirms fighter bonuses will increase with Paramount deal

    With implementation of the UFC/Paramount deal still months away, there’s plenty of time for Dana White and Co. to figure out how to make up for a fighter’s lost PPV points, though White did acknowledge that bonuses would be “going up” following Tuesday’s episode of DWCS.

    “Bonuses are obviously going up,” White said. “So that’ll be big. And just forget about the tide rising with all the other fighters. I mean, just the number that the bonuses bring to a fighter is millions of dollars.”

  • Georges St-Pierre: Big, New $7B-Plus UFC-Paramount Deal “Terrible for the Fighters”

    Georges St-Pierre: Big, New $7B-Plus UFC-Paramount Deal “Terrible for the Fighters”

    UFC has just announced a new massive rights deal with Paramount but the promotion’s decision to phase out pay-per-views when we enter 2026 has Georges St-Pierre concerned for the future well being of fighters and their financial situation. The rights agreement was announced on Monday with Paramount that netted the MMA leader a whopping $7.7 billion dollars over the course of the seven year deal.

    Paramount+ or CBS will now carry numbered events for the UFC but Georges St-Pierre does not seem convinced this idea will be beneficial to the in-cage competitors contracted to the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Negotiating a cut of the capital accrued by pay-per-view events used to be a major piece of the negotiating equation for combatants with GSP likely cashing sizable cheques from the PPV points that the massive shows he was featured on would have garnered.

    This subject was discussed during an interview with Covers when St-Pierre said,

    “It could be good for the UFC, as a promoter, but terrible for the fighters because when I was competing I was able to have a great argument to negotiate on my contract. I could tell the UFC, ‘Hey, if you want me to do all the promotion, I want to become a partner. I want a piece of the pie to negotiate a part of the pay-per-view revenue.”

    “Because if I’m doing all the promotion, I’m helping you, but you need to help me. You need to make me a partner.’ So it might be a bad thing for the fighters in a way that they have less leverage. “That’s what I think. I think it’s going to take off some leverage for the big names to have an argument to negotiate more money.”

    UFC PPV points and Georges St-Pierre’s legacy as a star

    While the UFC PPV points were not historically widely available to the public as far as specific amounts fighters would receive, it provided a lane for standout athletes to at least earn a bit more in a spot that is notorious for having such low revenue share among the athletes. GSP’s last outing took place in November 2017 when he finished Michael Bisping to become the UFC middleweight champion at UFC 217 and has been in some of the biggest blockbuster bouts in the history of mixed martial arts.

    Georges St-Pierre’s involvement with UFC 100 made it an all time iconic show for the company with Brock Lesnar engaging in a rematch with Frank Mir in the headliner but GSP also did huge nights of business with Nick Diaz at UFC 158, BJ Penn in a rematch at UFC 94, Jake Shields at UFC 129, and a sequel clash with Josh Koscheck at UFC 124 to name but a few.

  • Paramount In Advanced Talks, Nearing Deal With Zuffa Boxing

    Paramount In Advanced Talks, Nearing Deal With Zuffa Boxing

    Just one day after Paramount acquired the UFC in a major money deal, they look to suddenly be adding another piece of the TKO pie to their empire.

    Per a report from Front Office Sports, Paramount is now being considered the “front-runner” to acquire Zuffa Boxing, the TKO-backed boxing promotion that is being overseen by Dana White, the CEO and president of the UFC, and Turki Alalshikh, Chairman of the General Entertainment Authority in Saudi Arabia.

    This news comes approximately 30 hours after the UFC inked a new $7.7 billion U.S. broadcasting rights deal with Paramount, which is slated to begin in January.

    Terms of a deal are currently unavailable.

    Zuffa Boxing is slated to begin as a fight league in 2026; however, they will serve as the main promoter for the upcoming Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight that takes place in Las Vegas on September 13 and airs on Netflix.

    The FOS report states TKO will promote 2-3 “super fights” per year with Saudi Arabia.

    Zuffa Boxing Nearing Deal With Paramount One Day After New UFC U.S. Broadcasting Agreement

    “This is a low risk and TKO receives a roughly $10 million fee for serving as the managing partner and providing day-to-day operational management oversight,” Shapiro said in an earnings call last week. “And that’s all margin for us. TKO has no funding obligation.

    “We get a fee to promote it, each one of these super fights. We get a fee to negotiate the media rights for each fight, which IMG does. So another reason we’re strong and proud that we brought IMG into the fold of our flywheel. We get a fee for On Location to sell hospitality packages. And we will put Zuffa Boxing fighters on the undercard of each of these super fights. We expect to net on average another 10 million [dollars] for every super fight we manage and promote.”

    The UFC’s new broadcasting deal in the U.S. with Paramount, signed on August 11, will see 43 fight cards (13 numbered UFC events and 30 Fight Night cards) air on the Paramount+ streaming service. A number of those numbered cards (White and TKO executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro have given differing answers) will be simulcast on the linear CBS network.

    Certain platforms, however, were not part of the agreement. Zuffa Boxing was one of these, as well as Dana White’s Contender Series, The Ultimate Fighter, and Road to UFC.

    White teased yesterday that a broadcasting partner for Zuffa Boxing had been agreed upon but not yet announced. This included speculation on if ESPN would be involved in airing Zuffa Boxing after it parted ways with Top Rank Boxing last month.

    ESPN is the current home of the UFC, though that deal expires in December. Last week, ESPN signed a five-year, $325 million U.S. broadcasting deal with the WWE, also under the TKO umbrella, to broadcast their Premium Live Events (PLEs) on their new direct-to-consumer ESPN app that launched Thursday, August 21.

    Like the UFC-Paramount deal, Alalshikh announced last month that all Riyadh Season boxing cards, which air on DAZN, will no longer be pay-per-view beginning in November.

  • Dana White Says “PPV Isn’t Dead”, Suggests Potential One-Off UFC PPVs Under Paramount Deal

    Dana White Says “PPV Isn’t Dead”, Suggests Potential One-Off UFC PPVs Under Paramount Deal

    After all the celebration about the death of pay-per-view, UFC CEO & President Dana White is telling everyone to hold their horses.

    In an interview with the New York Post, despite the proclamations made in the new $7.7 billion deal with Paramount about the future of numbered UFC events, White says that he isn’t eliminating the pay-per-view concept entirely in this mind.

    White suggest he may toy with the idea of a potential 14th numbered UFC pay-per-view event during the Paramount deal that could see be put behind a pay-per-view paywall.

    “Anything is possible,” White said. “And you could do a one-off pay-per-view. I am going to be on pay-per-view this Saturday. Pay-Per-View is not dead.”

    This comes not even 24 hours after TKO executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro gave an interview to CNBC for the deal’s announcement, during which Shapiro referred to the pay-per-view model as “a thing of the past” and “an outdated, antiquated model.”

    Dana White Hints PPV Format May Still Appear In New UFC-Paramount Deal

    The UFC and Paramount’s new deal, which is set to begin in January, calls for 43 total UFC events per year — with 30 Fight Night cards and 13 numbered events.

    These numbered events, however, would not be pay-per-view as they have since the UFC’s inception in 1993. Instead, these cards, along with the UFC Fight Nights, would air exclusively on the Paramount+ streaming service.

    The initial announcements also noted that a select number of events would air on the linear CBS network in the United States.

    How many cards air on CBS has also been a point of discrepancy amongst the TKO and UFC executives. Despite the press release mentioning “select” events, Emanuel and Shapiro hinted at the possibility all of the UFC numbered cards are simulcast between Paramount+ and CBS, citing a desire for the most eyeballs possible.

    A later CBS Sports interview with White saw him state four “big” events would air on the network.

  • Dana White’s Contender Series Not Part Of UFC-Paramount Deal, Broadcast Rights TBD

    Dana White’s Contender Series Not Part Of UFC-Paramount Deal, Broadcast Rights TBD

    UPDATE: The New York Post’s Erich Richter has confirmed that Dana White’s Contender Series, The Ultimate Fighter, and Road to UFC are all not part of the UFC-Paramount package, and that the UFC is still shopping homes for these platforms.

    The major seven-year, $7.7 billion U.S. broadcasting deal between the UFC and Paramount may not include Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS), the UFC CEO and President confirmed to Sports Business Journal.

    One of the notable things to come out of the new UFC deal was what the press release to announce it did not make mention of UFC properties outside of the events that include the likes of DWCS, The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), Road to UFC, etc.

    White confirmed an interview that while the UFC and all of its numbered and Fight Night events are part of the Paramount package, which begins in January, the U.S. rights to air DWCS are still to be determined.

    “Yeah. That could be split up,” White said. “We’ll see how that plays out.”

    UFC Properties May Be Split Up After All, As DWCS Not Part Of UFC-Paramount Deal

    While the interview did not mention TUF or Road to UFC, it may be assumed that those rights are also still up in the air.

    TUF was created by the UFC when it first partnered up with Paramount Network (then known as Spike) in 2005, the same year it started airing Fight Night events on the cable channel. TUF has since followed the UFC throughout its times with FOX and ESPN as well.

    Road to UFC has aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass since its inception and may likely remain there.

    DWCS first premiered on UFC Fight Pass in 2017 before moving over to ESPN+ as part of the UFC’s deal with ESPN that began in 2019. The UFC’s U.S. broadcasting rights with ESPN ends at the end of the year. DWCS not being part of the Paramount deal keeps the possibility that ESPN could have some piece of the UFC umbrella.

    White added that he doesn’t see ESPN shying away from UFC coverage after the deal.

    “When we first started out over there, you’re going to have some rockiness when you’re figuring how you’re going to work with each other and who’s who, what’s what, and, ‘How are we going to do this?’ and we had some of that with ESPN,” White said. “Let me tell you what, over the last seven years, we have created an unbelievable relationship with that company and the people that work there.

    “I don’t see [ESPN promoting UFC less after 2025] happening. I see the exact opposite of that happening. We wouldn’t be where we are today without ESPN and I plan on continuing that relationship for the rest of my career.”

    This deal between the UFC and Paramount calls for 43 UFC cards, featuring 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Night cards, to be broadcasted on Paramount+. A select number of the numbered events (White has said four, while TKO executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro claim all) will air on the lineal CBS network in the U.S.

    When current international broadcasting deals for the UFC expire, Paramount will also have a 30-day exclusive negotiating window to lock up rights in those countries as well.

  • Dana White Promises 4 “Big Events” On CBS Per Year Under UFC’s New Paramount Deal

    Dana White Promises 4 “Big Events” On CBS Per Year Under UFC’s New Paramount Deal

    As the hours go by, more information starts to trickle out about what the UFC may look like under its new U.S. broadcasting deal with Paramount — as well as more questions.

    Perhaps the biggest talking point coming out of the new seven-year, $7.7 billion deal between the UFC and Paramount is the end of the pay-per-view model for the MMA promotion come the close of 2025. A select number — though it’s unclear how many — of numbered cards would be simulcast on CBS.

    UFC CEO and President Dana White, in an interview with CBS Sports’ Tommy Tran — White’s first since the announcement of the deal earlier today — stated that the UFC would produce four “big” events per year on linear CBS. He added that for 2026, one of those events will be the UFC’s planned card for the White House on July 4, 2026.

    “It’s looking like we’re going to do four big events a year,” White said. “We’re talking about doing a fight at the White House next year on the 4th of July — the 250th anniversary of America. So imagine a massive fight on the lawn of the White House on CBS.”

    Dana White Claims 4 UFC Events Per Year On CBS

    White added that he will continue to make the biggest fights happen and hinted there is still a possibility that this further incentivizes the returns of Conor McGregor and Jon Jones to compete on that White House card.

    Questions have arisen, however, as to what White means by “big.” The deal’s terms are for 13 numbered UFC cards (formerly pay-per-view cards) per year, as well as 30 Fight Night events for a total of 43 cards per year.

    This White claim also comes hours after TKO executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro told CNBC that there was a chance every UFC numbered card would be simulcast on CBS, which brought its own set of questions given CBS’ stake in other sports properties — particularly college football.

    Some speculate that this could mean four “special” numbered events (akin to the WWE’s “big four” of WrestleMania, SummerSlam, Royal Rumble, and Survivor Series), which will be believed to include International Fight Week and either the late October Abu Dhabi and/or the November Madison Square Garden cards.

    White’s remarks, despite claiming he will still look to make the best fights, have also furthered thoughts amongst some fans and pundits that the UFC may not be incentivized to stack numbered cards or force title fights onto the headliners of numbered cards since all fight cards will be under the same Paramount umbrella.

    There is also no update on how fighters’ pay-per-view points, particularly with champions, will be affected and/or changed by this move to Paramount and the elimination of pay-per-view.

  • TKO’s Ari Emanuel & Mark Shapiro: CBS To Likely Air All Numbered UFC Cards

    TKO’s Ari Emanuel & Mark Shapiro: CBS To Likely Air All Numbered UFC Cards

    The new UFC U.S. broadcasting rights deal may have just gotten bigger mere hours after it was first announced.

    As part of the new seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount, which also brings about the end of the pay-per-view model for UFC events, it was announced that certain UFC numbered cards, which historically almost-exclusively aired on pay-per-view, would be simulcasted on CBS.

    In a new interview with CNBC, however, TKO executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro have appeared to one-up that. They stated that the plan is actually to air all of the numbered UFC cards on the network platform.

    Shapiro emphasized a desire, despite the deal being primarily for the Paramount+ streaming service, to have CBS as part of the new UFC deal. Shapiro cited CBS’ history of sports broadcasting, from the Masters, to the NFL, to the NCAA Final Four.

    “It was important to us to have CBS play a big component in this,” Shapiro said. “This is Paramount+ exclusively, but CBS will have simulcast on many of the fights, and likely all of the numbered events, which are formerly the pay-per-view fights.”

    TKO’s Ari Emanuel & Mark Shapiro Claims CBS Will Air All UFC Numbered Cards In U.S.

    The pair were then asked about the decision to do this when Paramount+ has 77 million subscribers, and almost all of them are located within the U.S.

    Emanuel responded by saying that while part of the purpose is to drive traffic to Paramount+ and gain the platform subscribers — citing Paramount’s deal with the television program South Park last month as an example — there is also the aspect of the reach that CBS can provide. This would be, as pointed out, similar to how the NFL has never left broadcast networks completely.

    “A unified platform, more personalization, more customization, integrating sports betting, which is a big part of our fan experience when it comes to the UFC, that was all the stuff that was very attractive to us, way beyond the price,” Shapiro said.

    “But you need CBS, as Ari said, to really drive that reach. Think about it. [CEO David Ellison’s] goal is to get more subs; take that 77 million up to 300. But to keep them there, and the fact that we’re year round, the fact that every month we have a big premium fight, that will be an antidote.”

    Emanuel, in fact, claimed that TKO and the UFC tried to get more events on ABC — which almost exclusively were put on during the summer and for events that took place in the Middle East (with exceptions).

    “When we were at ESPN and Disney, we always actually were asking for a little bit of ABC, because we want the broadest reach,” Emanuel said.

    Shapiro followed it up by praising the visions of Ellison, who was Skydance CEO before the company merged with Paramount and became the CEO of the merged organization.

    “His strategy: streaming, sports, and studios,” Shapiro said. “It’s right in our wheel house. He sees media…he sees content, he sees storytelling through the prism and lens of technology.”

    What will be interesting to see is how CBS handles its sports broadcasting rights alongside the UFC, if the plan for CBS to air all of the numbered pay-per-view cards comes true. CBS currently has college football rights to air matchups in the Big Ten (since 2023) and the newly-reformed Pac-12 (starting this year). College football on ESPN was a main reason why the UFC’s Fight Night events in the fall were exclusively on ESPN+, as well as accounted for differing channel airings for prelims on pay-per-view fight cards.

    No information has also come out on what will happen for a UFC numbered cards that takes place outside the U.S. UFC pay-per-views that have been held in Australia and England have traditionally aired in the UFC’s typical 10 p.m. ET start time; however, pay-per-view cards in Abu Dhabi, which have annually taken place in the fall since 2019, have had special 2 p.m. ET start times.

    The UFC’s deal with Paramount will be for 43 events total per year — 13 numbered events (the former pay-per-views) and 30 Fight Nights.

  • UFC Secures New Streaming Partner As Paramount Strikes Whopping $7.7 Billion Deal

    UFC Secures New Streaming Partner As Paramount Strikes Whopping $7.7 Billion Deal

    The UFC will move to a new streaming home next year.

    The MMA promotion’s exclusive partnership with ESPN expires at the close of 2025, and UFC CEO Dana White has dropped more than a few hints about a shift in broadcast partners. For months, rumors had swirled that the company might align with streaming heavyweights such as Netflix or Amazon Prime, drawn by their global reach and ability to deliver high-volume content to millions of subscribers worldwide.

    However, in a twist that few saw coming, the UFC announced on Monday that it had signed a landmark seven-year media rights deal with Paramount Skydance, making Paramount+ the exclusive U.S. destination for every UFC event.

    From 2026 onward, Paramount will shell out an average of $1.1 billion annually, totaling a staggering $7.7 billion over seven years, to become the exclusive distributor of the MMA giant’s full lineup of 13 premier numbered events and 30 Fight Nights.

    Every event will stream on the direct-to-consumer platform Paramount+, with select numbered events also simulcast on CBS. In a major shift, the deal scraps the traditional pay-per-view model, instead offering these premium cards at no extra cost to Paramount+’s vast U.S. subscriber base.

    UFC Octagon
    Image: UFC/Zuffa LLC

    Dana White Talks About UFC’s New Streaming Deal With Paramount

    Following the announcement of the UFC’s landmark partnership with the Paramount network, Dana White took to social media to share his thoughts on the deal. White voiced his excitement over moving away from the longtime pay-per-view model, predicting that the shift would open the doors to a larger audience than ever before and propel the sport to unprecedented heights.

    “This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes, White shared in a press release on X. “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. This deal puts 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 our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport.”

    UFC CEO Dana White
    Image: UFC/YouTube