US Edition
Paramount buys UFC rights in $7.7 billion, 7-year deal in first major move post-Skydance merger
UNITED STATES, AUG 11 – Paramount will stream all UFC events in the U.S. on Paramount+ without pay-per-view fees, paying $7.7 billion over seven years starting in 2026, the companies said.
- Paramount completed its merger with Skydance Media last week and secured exclusive U.S. media rights to UFC in a $7.7 billion, seven-year deal starting in 2026.
- The acquisition follows the 2023 merger of UFC and WWE into TKO, which signed a separate five-year, $1.6 billion ESPN deal for WWE rights last week as Paramount assumed control under new leadership.
- Paramount will stream all 43 annual UFC events—13 marquee numbered cards and 30 Fight Nights—via Paramount+ at $12.99 a month without additional pay-per-view fees, with select events simulcast on CBS.
- Paramount CEO David Ellison emphasized the rarity of opportunities like acquiring UFC, describing it as a unique and highly valuable sports property that emerges only every ten years, and highlighted the strategic importance of securing the entire UFC portfolio amid limited upcoming sports rights availability.
- This distribution shift aims to increase accessibility and subscriber growth for Paramount+ while Paramount intends to pursue UFC international rights as they become available.
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260 Articles
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Paramount Ponies Up $7.7 Billion to Win UFC Rights
David Ellison is going from UFC ringside to UFC ringleader. After being spotted in front row seats at multiple UFC events this year, Ellison’s newly acquired Paramount (now technically called “Paramount, a Skydance Corporation,” though we’ll stick with the old name to remain within our self-imposed length constraints) agreed to a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal to become the mixed-martial arts competition’s exclusive US rights-holder. It’s the fir…
UFC moving from ESPN+ to Paramount+ in new $7.7B, 7-year deal
In an announcement on Monday, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) revealed they will be moving from ESPN+ to Paramount+ and CBS in a new, seven-year media rights deal, worth $7.7 billion. Paramount Skydance Corporation and UFC parent company TKO Group agreed that starting in 2026, UFC’s full yearly slate of 13 marquee numbered events and 30 Fight Nights will be streamed exclusively in the United States on Paramount+, with select UFC events also…
The American entertainment giant has acquired the American broadcasting rights to the world's leading MMA organization for seven years.
Paramount wins exclusive US rights for UFC in $7.7 billion deal
Aug 11 (Reuters) - Paramount, days after finalizing its merger with production studio Skydance, said Monday it will pay $7.7 billion for exclusive U.S. broadcast rights to the Ultimate Fighting Championship for seven years — the first major strategic move by the combined company.
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