Paramount, UFC strike multibillion-dollar deal on streaming

Paramount is getting into the combat sports streaming business in a big way, striking a megadeal with UFC for the rights to stream the mixed martial arts promoter’s top events.

The seven-year deal, beginning in 2026 and valued at more than $1 billion per year, was announced by the newly formed media conglomerate this week, granting it exclusive rights to distribute UFC’s full slate of 13 marquee numbered events and 30 additional fight nights via its direct-to-consumer streaming platform, Paramount+.

A select number of events will be be simulcast on CBS, the company said.

As part of the deal, UFC and Paramount will move away from UFC’s existing pay-per-view model, and access to UFC streams will come at no additional cost to U.S. subscribers of Paramount+, the company said.

The deal is an aggressive move further into live sports by the David Ellison-led Paramount, which last week closed a merger with fellow entertainment giant Skydance.

The merger has been a source of controversy, given Paramount’s promises to retool CBS News and scale back corporate diversity policies to win approval from President Trump’s administration.