Combat Sports

TKO and Paramount Announce a Broadcast Deal Putting an End to the UFC PPV Model

Mike Lipinski Sports Editor

Published11 Aug 2025

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In a stunning deal, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is going back to the network that gave the organization its big break.

On Monday, TKO announced a seven-year, $7.7 billion (yeah, billion with a “B”) deal with Paramount to air all UFC events. Beginning in 2026, all UFC numbered events (pay-per-view) and Fight Night events will air on Paramount’s Paramount+ streaming service. Select events will also be aired on CBS as part of the deal.

Unlike UFC’s partnership with Disney and ESPN+, the Paramount deal will put an end to the current pay-per-view model. In the current model, fans must still purchase a UFC event through ESPN+ at an additional cost. Under the new deal, anyone with a Paramount+ subscription will be able to watch the UFC premium live events (PLE) at no additional cost thus vastly expanding the reach of the product.

In an interview with CNBC, TKO president and chief operating officer Mark Shapiro discussed the move from a traditional pay-per-view model:

“The pay-per-view model is a thing of the past. What’s on pay-per-view anymore? Boxing? Movies on DirecTV? It’s an outdated, antiquated model. So, it was paramount to us – forgive the pun – where it’s one-stop shopping, especially for our younger fans in flyover states. When they find out, ’Wait, if I just sign up for Paramount+ for $12.99 a month, I’m going to automatically get UFC’s numbered fights and the rest of the portfolio? That’s a message we want to amplify.”

A Return Home

For the UFC a return to the Paramount network is a homecoming of sorts.

In 2005, in an effort to stay afloat as a company, the UFC partnered with Paramount to bring The Ultimate Fighter reality TV show to Spike TV. The show became an overnight sensation and ushered in a new era for mixed martial arts in the United States.

IS THIS THE FIGHT THAT MADE THE UFC? 👀

Forrest Griffin fought Stephan Bonner on the finale of “The Ultimate Fighter” in what would go down as one of the most iconic fights in UFC history:

pic.twitter.com/cCyIbrf8oR

— Bodog (@BodogCA) August 9, 2025

In addition to 13 more seasons of the The Ultimate Fighter reality show, UFC and Paramount aired various programs on Spike TV including UFC Fight Night events, UFC Countdown, and UFC Unleashed before the latter moved to FOX Sports. The relationship helped Paramount too.

A History: MMA on Paramount

There likely isn’t a modern day MMA in the United States without the previous relationship between UFC and Paramount.

No longer a pariah of the sports and entertainment world, MMA aired on major broadcast television in the United States for the first-time ever in 2008. Fledgling MMA promotion EliteXC and Paramount partnered to broadcast Primetime, a 12 bout event featuring Kimbo Slice in the main event, on CBS. The event peaked with 6.5 million viewers despite five independently owned CBS stations in the United States refusing to air the event. EliteXC and Paramount would air three additional fight cards on CBS with other events airing on Showtime.

In all, Paramount – through their various channels- has been a beacon of MMA in the United States for 20-years.