UFC is tapping out on PPV with Paramount+ deal
The first major deal for Skydance steals a property away from ESPN
• less than 3 min read
Skydance acquired exclusive US rights to stream UFC fights on Paramount+ with a seven-year deal valued at $7.7 billion in the company’s first major move since a merger with Paramount that cost Stephen Colbert his job closed less than a week ago.
That doubles what Disney has paid UFC annually to show fights on ESPN+ and signals the end of the pay-per-view model the mixed martial arts org had embraced for decades:
- Under its current ESPN+ deal, which expires next year, fans need to pay for both the base monthly streaming subscription ($12) and additional PPV fees to watch the bigger events.
- Once the new partnership begins in 2026, fans of blood-soaked grappling will need only to pay $8–$13 per month for Paramount+, with zero additional costs, to see 13 marquee events and 30 “Fight Nights.” Some fights will be simulcast on linear CBS.
Churn notice: UFC operates year-round with no offseason, which means UFC fans are less likely to cancel subscriptions compared to other sports fans. Per Nielsen, Paramount needs that boost, as its streamers accounted for a punchless 2% of TV viewing time in the US in June, trailing far behind Netflix (8.3%) and YouTube (12.8%).
Stop, stop, cable is already dead: ESPN and Fox Sports revealed yesterday that all of their channels can be bundled together for one streaming price starting in October.
Morning Brew delivers quick and insightful updates about the business world every day of the week from Wall St. to Silicon Valley.
By subscribing, you accept our Terms & Privacy Policy.
Morning Brew delivers quick and insightful updates about the business world every day of the week from Wall St. to Silicon Valley.
By subscribing, you accept our Terms & Privacy Policy.