UFC Paramount+ Deal: Ultimate Fighting Championship to Stream in US
Paramount has made a big move in the world of sports streaming by securing the US media rights to Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) in a whopping $7.7 billion deal set to kick off in 2026. This agreement, stretching over seven years, means that all UFC events will be available exclusively on Paramount+ for US viewers. Gone are the days of pay-per-view for premium UFC fights, as Paramount has decided to include these events at no additional cost to subscribers.
This major shift from the existing model is a part of Paramount’s strategy to offer high-quality exclusive content and attract more subscribers. David Ellison, the new CEO of Paramount, highlighted the significance of UFC in the world of sports, calling it a “global sports powerhouse.” Ellison expressed excitement about adding UFC’s thrilling events to Paramount’s platforms, emphasizing that it’s a significant win for the streaming service.
The Paramount-UFC deal sheds light on the intense competition in the streaming wars, where securing live sports rights has become a crucial battleground. With cord-cutting on the rise, streaming services are making aggressive moves to secure sports content. For example, Netflix recently secured a $5 billion deal for WWE Raw and picked up NFL Christmas Day games. On the ESPN front, long-term extensions with the NFL, NHL, MLB, and College Football Playoff are in place, with plans for a joint sports streaming venture with Warner Bros. Discovery and Fox in the works.
With UFC staging about 43 live events annually, reaching an estimated 100 million fans in the US and nearly 950 million households worldwide, the Paramount+ exclusive streaming deal is sure to shake up the sports entertainment landscape. Stay tuned for more exciting developments in the world of streaming entertainment!
