Paramount is officially the new home of the UFC after a $7.7 billion, 7-year deal was made with Dana White. The UFC will no longer be pay-per-view and will be streaming on Paramount+, starting in 2026. Dana White had made it clear that he had been having issues with ESPN for a while. His main criticism of ESPN was how its broadcasts functioned. There have been multiple instances during major events where viewers experienced buffering, lagging, and low-quality production. Both UFC and viewers at home expressed frustration towards ESPN and the broadcast problems.

Netflix was seen as the ideal landing place for the UFC, and negotiations were seemingly in place. However, UFC ultimately decided to go with Paramount, which most fans did not expect. Currently, this deal is for all UFC events inside the United States, and Paramount is working to obtain rights outside of America. The deal is groundbreaking for not only the UFC and MMA, but for all sports as well. Fans have been irritated with the current pay-per-view model, as it stands right now, as it becomes more and more expensive for a product that the UFC itself is having issues with. The agreement includes all 43 annual UFC live events, with 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Nights. Select numbered events will also air on CBS. UFC will effectively eliminate the current pay-per-view model entirely, which will be a new and exciting step in the evolution of the company.