Paramount has announced the signing of a seven-year media rights agreement with TKO Group under which Paramount+ will become the exclusive broadcaster of all UFC events in the U.S. This announcement marks an end to the mixed martial arts events’ relationship with ESPN, which started in 2019.
Paramount and UFC Agreement
The seven-year deal, which begins in 2026, has an average annual value of $1.1 billion, with an overall value of $7.7 billion. Starting from 2026, Paramount will exclusively distribute UFC’s full slate of 13 annual marquee numbered events and 30 Fight Nights via the Paramount+ streaming platform, while select numbered UFC events will be simulcast on CBS.
As part of the agreement, UFC and Paramount will move away from UFC’s existing pay-per-view model, and instead, the events will be available at no additional cost to Paramount+’s U.S. subscribers.
Paramount notes this shift in distribution strategy “will unlock greater accessibility and discoverability for sports fans and provide an important catalyst for driving engagement and further subscriber growth for Paramount+,”
Paramount also pointed out that there were plans to explore acquiring UFC rights outside the U.S. as they become available in the future.
