Looks like my Disney+ bundle with ESPN+ and Hulu is getting dropped next year. At present the Paramount+ package is $12.99 a month, which is doable for the UFC, especially since they’re dropping the PPV model. With the current ESPN+ you get the previous PPV main card the week before the next PPV event, so I’d wait instead of paying near $80 to see it live. Consequently, I’ve never paid for a UFC PPV, as they were always too expensive even though ESPN has taken it to an extreme now. With Paramount+ dropping $1.1 billion per year for the UFC, will they raise their rate? It would kind of defeat them growing subscription numbers, but then corporations are greedy and stupid. The service isn’t compelling enough for a higher price to me, so I’d probably pass, and just follow the sport with recaps like I do Formula 1, another greedy organization that prevented ESPN+ from showing most events to try and push cord cutters to their own expensive streaming service just for F1. For those unwilling to pay for an expensive cable package and the included subsidy of countless networks you never watch, they’re fragmenting into too many greedy streaming services, and charging more than they make with cable packages.
By Chris Cwik
UFC is coming to Paramount+ and CBS in 2026. The company agreed to an astounding seven-year, $7.7 billion contract with the company, Dana White and Paramount announced Monday.
Dana White confirmed the move in a post on Instagram, saying it “puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world.”
His full statement read:
“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. This deal puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world. The exposure provided by Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge win for our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport.”
Paramount confirmed both the length and cost of the deal in a news release Monday. While the average annual cost of the deal is $1.1 billion, the payment structure is weighted, with Paramount paying less money early in the deal.
The deal is only for UFC’s U.S. rights. Paramount is interested in buying the company’s international rights when they become available, it said in Monday’s release.
It’s a bold, new step for the UFC. Under the new deal, it’s ditching the pay-per-view model. All UFC events — including 13 numbered shows and 30 Fight Nights — will be included as part of a normal subscription with Paramount+. Select numbered events will be simulcast on CBS.
Under UFC’s previous rights deal, premium events could only be viewed via pay-per-view. Fans looking to watch events under UFC’s current rights deal need to own an ESPN+ subscription and pay an additional $79.99 for premium UFC fights. That model will continue through 2025, so any fans who want to watch UFC 319 on Saturday will still need to go through that process.
Starting in 2026, all fans will need to watch UFC events is a subscription to Paramount+.