NEW YORK (AP) — Paramount will become the new home to Ultimate Fighting Championship events across the U.S. next year, through a seven-year agreement announced with TKO Group on Monday.
The news comes just days after Skydance and Paramount officially closed their $8 billion merger — kicking off the reign of a new entertainment giant after a contentious endeavor to get the transaction over the finish line.
Under the deal with UFC, Paramount will exclusively distribute UFC’s full lineup of its 13 marquee numbered events and 30 “Fight Nights” on its streaming platform Paramount+ — with select numbered events also set to simulcast on CBS — starting in 2026.
It’s a shift away from the UFC’s existing pay-per-view model, which Paramount and TKO say will allow the mixed martial arts programming to reach more consumers nationwide.
“Paramount’s advantage lies in the expansive reach of our linear and streaming platforms,” David Ellison, chairman and CEO of Paramount, said in a statement. “Live sports continue to be a cornerstone of our broader strategy —…