Paramount has signed a seven-year deal with TKO Group that will make it the exclusive broadcaster for all Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) events in the United States.
Starting in 2026, Paramount will be the only platform streaming all 13 major UFC events and 30 "Fight Nights" annually on Paramount+ streaming service.
Also some of the major UFC fights will also air on CBS at the same time as Paramount+.
Based on the announcement made on Monday, August 11, the deal is worth about $1.1 billion a year on average with payments starting lower in the initial years and increasing later in the contract.
It's a monumental move for UFC that "will unlock greater accessibility and discoverability for sports fans and provide an important catalyst for driving engagement and further subscriber growth for Paramount+," according to a press release.
UFC CEO and President Dana White expressed on his Instagram account, "This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes. 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."
Earlier in 2018, UFC made a contract giving ESPN exclusive rights to broadcast its fights starting in 2019 which is set to expire at the end of this year.
The UFC is the leading martial arts organization globally with around 100 million fans in the US.
