Monday brought one of the most significant combat-sports stories of the year, as it was announced that the UFC had signed a broadcast deal with Paramount – a deal due to begin in 2026.
Set to last seven years, with an average annual value of $1.1bn, the contract marks the impending end of the UFC’s partnership with ESPN, a relationship that began in 2019. More importantly, however, the deal also means the end of the UFC’s pay-per-view (PPV) model.
