The UFC inked an enormous seven 12 months, $7.7 billion deal to maneuver from ESPN to Paramount in 2026, however the brand new firm led by David Ellison wasn’t initially within the result in land the largest occasions for the combined martial arts promotion.
Previous to reaching an settlement with Paramount, TKO Group Holdings — mum or dad firm to the UFC — have been deep in talks with Netflix after already signing a ten 12 months, $5 billion deal to maneuver WWE’s Monday Evening Uncooked there in 2025. TKO president and chief working officer Mark Shapiro beforehand revealed {that a} potential take care of Netflix largely fell aside after it was clear that the streamer with greater than 300 million world subscribers solely wished the largest UFC occasions, which at present air on pay-per-view.
That clearly didn’t account for the 30-plus UFC Struggle Evening occasions that happen yearly.
“They didn’t need the quantity on the finish of the day,” Shapiro advised The City podcast. “They wished simply the premium. In that case it was the numbered occasions, the pay-per-view dates each month.”
TKO CEO Ari Emanuel categorised talks with Netflix as “very” near a carried out deal earlier than the 2 sides simply couldn’t come to an settlement.
The sticking level actually got here down as to whether or not the UFC broadcast rights would all find yourself with one accomplice or get damaged up amongst a number of networks.
“We’d have needed to do what the NBA did and break up the package deal,” Emanuel mentioned. “Mark and I have been discussing that, truly I just like the phrase discussing, what actually occurred preventing about that the entire time.”
Emanuel added that it’s nonetheless going to be a wait and see method for the way forward for the NBA in relation to viewership after the basketball league signed a brand new broadcast deal price $75 billion however the video games at the moment are cut up between three companions at ESPN/Disney, Amazon and NBC.
The UFC has historically solely ever had one broadcast accomplice after transferring from Spike TV to FOX after which ESPN earlier than signing with Paramount.
The most important distinction now are plans to shift away from the normal pay-per-view mannequin with all UFC occasions — together with the marquee numbered playing cards — all airing on Paramount at no further price to subscribers.
Ideally, the UFC hoped to stick with one broadcast accomplice once more, which successfully eradicated Netflix from the operating to land the general deal.
“They have been disenchanted,” Emanuel mentioned about Netflix’s response to dropping the UFC deal. “Let’s simply be very clear, [Netflix chief content officer] Bella [Bajaria] and [co-CEO] Ted [Sarandos] have been unbelievable to Mark and I and the company and TKO with boxing.
“They’re unbelievable executives, however on the finish of the day, [Paramount CEO] David [Ellison] and Gerry Cardinale and Jeff [Shell] and Larry [Ellison] mentioned ‘studio, streaming and stay sports activities.’ They need to be in that area so then they got here to us and mentioned ‘right here’s what we wish.’ OK, nice.”
When Netflix was nonetheless in talks with the UFC, Shapiro famous that there was hope that Paramount or one other purchaser may doubtlessly simply take the Struggle Evening occasions however that didn’t occur.
“We at first have been hoping that Paramount would take the 30 [UFC Fight Night events] and we simply do the premium with Netflix,” Shapiro mentioned. “Till CBS finally mentioned overlook it, we wish the entire thing.”
Clearly all of it labored out for the UFC with the corporate greater than doubling the earlier broadcast take care of ESPN to maneuver to Paramount beginning in 2026.
