Dana White, UFC
Strike Deal W/ Paramount
$7.7 Billion Pact!!!
Published
Dana White and the UFC will have a new streaming home beginning in 2026 … Paramount has acquired the U.S. rights to the MMA organization in a massive $7.7 BILLION deal!
TKO announced the pact Monday morning … revealing the agreement with the Skydance Corporation is a seven-year one that’s worth an annual price tag of $1.1 billion.
“The historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes,” White said. “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.”
While most events will be on Paramount+ … select “numbered events” will be simulcast on linear CBS.
Paramount was able to beat out the likes of ESPN — which previously held the domestic broadcast rights since 2018 — as well as the likes of Amazon and Netflix.
“Our decade-long journey with UFC has been defined by continuous growth and expansion, and this agreement is an important realization of our strategy,” Ari Emanuel, Executive Chair and CEO of TKO, said.
“We believe wholeheartedly in David’s vision and look forward to being in business with a company that will prioritize technology as a means to enhance storytelling and the overall viewing experience.”
It’s a nice change of pace for Skydance-Paramount, which has been on the receiving end of some bad PR after CBS announced the “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” would end in May 2026.
In the court of public opinion … reactions online so far have been mainly positive — as fans are excited to see the Pay-Per-View model come to a close.