Legal Rights Redefined—UFC Moves to Paramount+ Under $7.7B Deal

A seismic shift is underway in sports broadcasting as the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) secured an exclusive seven-year media rights agreement with Paramount Skydance Corporation, valued at $7.7 billion. Starting 2026, all UFC events will air exclusively on the Paramount+ streaming service in the United States, marking a significant departure from the traditional pay-per-view model.

Beyond digital, the deal also includes selected live events on the CBS broadcast network, signaling a hybrid model that maximizes viewer reach while capitalizing on streaming’s growth. The agreement is one of the first major media partnerships struck since the merger of Paramount Global and Skydance Media, framing the combined entity as an aggressive player in sports entertainment.

This landmark deal embodies a broader industry trend: live sports remains the crown jewel in streaming content, commanding both high consumer demand and significant media rights valuations. For UFC, the move modernizes delivery, tapping into streaming’s convenience while retaining broadcast presence through CBS. For Paramount Skydance, it represents a marquee content anchor that may substantially drive subscriber growth.

This arrangement also raises strategic questions around monetization models—subscription bundles, PPV obsolescence, cross-platform promotions—and fan engagement strategies. As other leagues evaluate their media rights approach, this deal emerges as a blueprint for data-integrated, flexible monetization in the streaming age, redefining how martial arts competitions reach mass audiences.