UFC sees 1000% growth in rights fees as Paramount strikes $7.7B deal
A media deal for the ages is in the making at the UFC: U.S. rights fees jumped 1,000 % as Paramount is inking a $7.7 billion, seven-year U.S. media rights pact. The deal will change how the UFC brings in money and how fans can see their offering.
A seismic shift in media strategy and rights value
In a deal that dwarfed the previous ESPN deal and reportedly doubled its annual value to around $1.1 billion per year, Paramount, post-acquisition of Skydance, snagged the UFC rights. The deal was reached in an unprecedented 48-hour negotiation window following the Skydance-Paramount acquisition.
That's an astonishing 1000% increase in rights fees, which shows how much the popularity of the UFC has skyrocketed.
Fans can also assume how crazy the race for premium live content has gotten among streaming platforms.
Fans benefit, fighters see brighter prospects
According to the agreement, all 13 annual numbered UFC events and 30 Fight Nights will exclusively stream on Paramount+, beginning in 2026, with select events simulcast on CBS. With this action, WWE officially marks the end of the traditional pay-per-view (PPV), where events are grouped under a mega subscription, between $8 (ad-supported) and $13 (ad-free) each month.
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In addition, UFC President Dana White also confirmed that fighter compensation will benefit from the deal as well, particularly regarding performance bonuses that have remained at $50,000 for an extremely long time.
Strategic ambitions and market implications
The bold gambit from Paramount, for which new CEO David Ellison was recently installed in the big chair, mirrors an overall effort to reinvigorate the platform with appointment-viewing, year-round content, filling potential gaps in scripted programming, and increasing subscriber stickiness in a highly competitive streaming ecosystem.
A bet on the future of the UFC, with an estimated U.S. fanbase now closer to 100 million, growing 25% since 2019 in the pay-per-view space alone, gives it a cornerstone asset to play this game alongside.
The deal also provides Paramount with the rights to a 30-day window of exclusivity to negotiate international rights, opening up possibilities for wider global expansion. Altogether, Paramount isn't just buying media rights; they're buying an entire ecosystem. In addition to live events, the studio will create original UFC content, docuseries, and behind-the-scenes features, as well as stories that benefit from tech integration and cross-platform promotion with CBS.
Catch Rani Rampal's inspiring story on Game On, Episode 4. Watch Here!
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