Dana White announces huge broadcasting deal ditching prehistoric PPV model
By Josh Sanchez
Mixed martial arts fans woke up to some major news on Monday morning, with UFC CEO Dana White announcing a new broadcasting partner and home for the Ultimate Fighting Championship.
Beginning in 2026, the UFC's new home will be Paramount and CBS, but there was one part of the announcement that really caught everyone's eye.
According to White's statement, fans will have "access to all UFC content WITHOUT a pay-per-view model." Select events will air live and free on CBS, while all events will stream live on Paramount+.
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The seven-year deal between the UFC and Paramount is worth $7.7 billion, and requires 43 events per year -- 13 numbered events, 30 fight nights.
"This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes," White said in a statement. "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.
"This deal puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world. The exposure provided by the Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge win for our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport."
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Paramount has a wide-range of television networks, including CBS, Paramount Network, Nickelodeon, MTV, Comedy Central, BET, and Showtime.
There are also the streaming services Paramount+ and Pluto TV, so it will be interesting to see what networks carry the fights in the future. But, the most important takeaway for fans of MMA is that the UFC's biggest fights and events will no longer be behind an $80 paywall.
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