In 2026, UFC fans in the United States will be able to watch the sport’s most anticipated fights without the steep pay-per-view price tags that have long defined its broadcast model.
The change comes through a seven-year, $7.7 billion media rights agreement between UFC and Paramount, announced Monday. Paramount will become the exclusive U.S. broadcaster for all UFC events, with live coverage streaming on Paramount+ and select cards airing on CBS.
Subscribers to Paramount+—priced at $8 per month with ads or $13 ad-free—will gain access to the full UFC calendar, including 13 marquee numbered events and 30 “Fight Night” cards each year, without additional charges.
“This partnership will make UFC more affordable and accessible than ever before,” UFC president and CEO Dana White said on social media. “Fans will be able to watch the greatest fights on a massive platform.”
Currently, most UFC cards air on ESPN+, which requires a $12 monthly subscription and an additional $79.99 per pay-per-view for the sport’s biggest events. For years, this hybrid subscription-plus-PPV model has been a sticking point for fans, particularly as prices have climbed. Removing the pay-per-view requirement could dramatically expand UFC’s audience, especially among casual viewers who were unwilling to pay nearly $100 for a single night of fights.
The Industry’s Broader Pivot Away from Pay-Per-View
UFC’s move mirrors a growing trend in the sports media landscape: high-profile events that once relied on pay-per-view revenue are increasingly shifting to subscription streaming platforms.
For sports organisations, subscription deals offer predictable, recurring income instead of the fluctuating returns of PPV. They also open the door to larger audiences by lowering the cost barrier, with premium live events acting as subscriber drivers in an increasingly crowded streaming market.
Combat sports have been at the forefront of this shift. Boxing, long synonymous with pay-per-view, saw a major disruption in 2018 when DAZN offered big-name fights—including Canelo Álvarez bouts—within its monthly subscription. While DAZN has since reintroduced PPV for select matchups, the subscription-first approach remains a core strategy.
Professional wrestling made a similar leap when WWE launched the WWE Network in 2014, bundling monthly PPV events into a $9.99 streaming package. In 2021, WWE partnered with Peacock, putting WrestleMania and other top cards in front of millions of subscribers at no extra cost.
Football Joins the Streaming Experiment
Even outside combat sports, major leagues are exploring similar strategies. The Premier League—one of the world’s most valuable sports properties—has studied the potential of offering matches directly to consumers through its own streaming service. While the league still sells broadcast rights to networks and platforms worldwide, executives have acknowledged that direct-to-consumer streaming could one day allow fans to watch matches without relying on traditional TV partners.
Some clubs have already experimented with their own subscription platforms for non-televised matches and behind-the-scenes content, signaling that more comprehensive digital packages could be on the horizon. The underlying logic is the same as in UFC’s new model: controlling distribution not only increases accessibility but also gives rights holders more detailed audience data—a valuable asset for both commercial deals and fan engagement strategies.
The Details of the Paramount Deal
The UFC–Paramount agreement carries an average annual value of $1.1 billion, though Paramount confirmed the payment structure is weighted more heavily toward the later years of the deal. The company also indicated it plans to explore acquiring UFC broadcast rights outside the U.S. as they become available, signaling ambitions for global expansion.
The announcement comes on the heels of Paramount’s $8 billion merger with Skydance Media earlier this month, bringing CBS and Hollywood’s Paramount Pictures under the leadership of Skydance CEO David Ellison, the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison. With that infrastructure, Paramount appears set to use premium sports content as a key growth engine for its streaming business.
Sidebar: UFC vs. Premier League – Media Rights in Numbers
- UFC–Paramount (U.S.): $7.7 billion over 7 years; average annual value of $1.1 billion; includes all U.S. events without PPV fees for Paramount+ subscribers.
- Premier League (Global): Current domestic rights (Sky Sports & TNT Sports) are worth roughly £6.7 billion ($8.5 billion) over four seasons from 2025–2029, averaging over $2 billion per year domestically. Global rights push total media revenue to around $13 billion over the same cycle.
- Key Difference: UFC is centralising its U.S. distribution under a single subscription platform, removing PPV entirely. The Premier League still operates under a traditional rights-sell model to multiple broadcasters but is exploring a direct-to-consumer platform for the future—an approach that could mirror UFC’s accessibility shift if implemented.
What It Means for Fans
- Lower Costs, More Access: Instead of paying $80+ for a single UFC PPV, fans will pay a flat monthly fee for Paramount+ and get every event included.
- Mainstream Availability: Some UFC cards will air on CBS, meaning viewers without streaming subscriptions could still watch major fights over traditional broadcast TV.
- Bigger Audience Energy: With more casual fans able to tune in, expect larger viewing numbers and potentially more mainstream crossover moments.
- A Glimpse Into the Future: UFC’s move may be a preview of what’s ahead for other sports. If the model succeeds, leagues like the Premier League could follow with their own all-access streaming services, potentially reshaping how global sports are consumed.
(Photo by Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images)
TheWrestlingFallacy 
Leave a comment