NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount will become the new home to Ultimate Fighting Championship events across the U.S. next year, through a seven-year agreement announced with TKO Group on Monday.
Under the deal, Paramount will exclusively distribute the UFC’s full lineup of its 13 marquee numbered events and 30 “Fight Nights” on its streaming platform Paramount+ — with select numbered events also set to simulcast on CBS — starting in 2026.
It's a shift away from the UFC’s existing pay-per-view model, which Paramount and TKO say will allow the mixed martial arts programming reach more consumers nationwide.
“Paramount’s advantage lies in the expansive reach of our linear and streaming platforms," David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount, said in a statement. “Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy — driving engagement, subscriber growth, and long-term loyalty, and the addition of UFC’s year-round must-watch events to our platforms is a major win."
Mark Shapiro, president and COO of TKO, added that the deal will mean “deeper engagement for UFC’s passionate fan base” and that its athletes "will love this new stage.”
UFC events currently air on ESPN — which has offered tiered pricing for fans to view content across the sports network's TV offerings and streaming platform ESPN+ since 2019. UFC's partnership with Disney-owned ESPN runs through the end of 2025.
The seven-year deal between Paramount and TKO has an average annual value of $1.1 billion, the companies said Monday — marking a notable jump from the roughly $550 million that ESPN reportedly pays each year for UFC coverage today. But UFC's new home on Paramount will simplify offerings for fans — with all content set to be available on Paramount+ (which currently costs between $7.99 and $12.99 a month), rather than various pay-per-view fees.
Paramount also said it intends to explore UFC rights outside the U.S. “as they become available in the future.” News of its deal with UFC arrives just days after Paramount was officially sold to Skydance after a tumultuous , over yearlong endeavor to change ownership of the legacy media giant. And Ellison, Paramount's new CEO and son of multibillionaire Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, has long-stressed the company's need to lean into technology and expand direct-to-consumer streaming offerings.
Shares of TKO — which, in addition to the UFC, also houses the WWE — jumped over 5.4% in Monday morning trading.
The Associated Press
