Newscasts - Paramount inks $7.7 billion streaming deal with UFC

TKO group

11/08/2025 20:17

Click the following link to watch video: https://share.newscasts.refinitiv.com/link?entryId=1_zp3t9z1a&referenceId=tag:reuters.com,2025:newsml_RW645011082025RP1_930&pageId=Newscasts
Source: 'Reuters - Business videos'

Description: Skydance-owned Paramount will become the exclusive U.S. home of Ultimate Fighting Championship under a seven-year streaming deal valued at about $7.7 billion, the first major strategic move by the newly merged media giant under new CEO David Ellison. Lisa Bernhard has more.

Short Link: https://refini.tv/4owvsVW

Video Transcript:

Paramount on Monday said it acquired the exclusive US streaming rights to Ultimate Fighting Championship events in a seven-year deal valued at about $7.7 billion. It's Paramount's first major strategic move since its merger with Skydance just days ago. Starting next year, the company's Paramount+ network will carry the complete US slate of 13 major UFC events and 30 Fight Nights. UFC, which is owned by TKO Group Holdings, will also have select events simulcast on Paramount's CBS network. New Paramount CEO David Ellison called the deal a "major win," while UFC CEO and President Dana White said in a statement that "for the first time ever, fans in the US will have access to all UFC content without a pay-per-view model." Sports content, especially the rights to live events, has become the cornerstone of media companies' strategies as cord-cutting accelerates. Netflix secured a $5 billion, 10-year global deal for WWE Raw and added two NFL Christmas Day games, while Disney's ESPN extended its rights agreements with the NFL, NHL, MLB, and the College Football Playoffs.