Paramount buys UFC rights in $7.7 billion deal
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Days after completing its merger with Skydance, Paramount has acquired the U.S. rights to TKO Group’s UFC for seven years, beginning in 2026. Limited time: Save 25% on NBC News subscription Get exclusive reporting, live Q&As and ad-free reading. Paramount is paying an average of $1.1 billion per year, totaling $7.7 billion, for UFC’s full slate of 13 marquee events and 30 “Fight Nights,” the companies said in a statement. All matches and events will be streamed in the U.S.
AI Summary
Main Idea: Paramount has bought the U.S. rights to UFC for seven years in a $7.7 billion deal that will stream all events on Paramount+ starting in 2026.
Key Points:
- The deal covers UFC’s full slate of 13 major events and 30 Fight Nights each year.
- Paramount will pay an average of $1.1 billion a year, with lower payments early and higher ones later.
- The UFC events will be included at no extra cost, ending the pay-per-view model for these fights in the U.S.
- The agreement was reached soon after Paramount’s merger with Skydance Media, and TKO Group said the new deal was important because major sports rights are becoming harder to find.
Impact on the People
Negative Impact
Paramount may pass part of the $7. 7 Billion UFC cost into higher streaming prices, though fans will avoid extra pay-per-view fees.
Positive Impact
No clear positive impact identified.
How did each entity affect people?
Rate how each entity in this article affected the American people.
- Primary:Paramountcompany
Candidate Entities7 candidates · 5 weighted vote min · 70% decision
- ParamountcompanyPrimaryEvaluated
Central company acquiring the UFC U.S. rights in the seven-year, $7.7 billion deal.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - CEO David EllisonpersonMajorAI selected
Chief Executive Officer leading the new Paramount leadership and quoted on the acquisition.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Mark ShapiropersonMajorAI selected
TKO president and chief operating officer who explains the deal and its strategy.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Paramount+brand / productMajorAI selected
Streaming platform that will carry the UFC events and is central to the deal’s consumer impact.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - Skydance MediacompanyMajorAI selected
Recently merged with Paramount and part of the ownership change framing the deal.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - TKO GroupcompanyMajorAI selected
Parent company on the selling side of the UFC rights deal and a major actor in the negotiations.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold - DisneycompanyContextCandidate
Parent company tied to ESPN, mentioned because its sports-rights role provides key context.
Include 0 (0%)Ignore 0 (0%)5 to threshold
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