The Ultimate Fighting Championship⁢ (UFC) is‍ significantly expanding its partnership with Paramount+, bringing ⁤live UFC events and content to new audiences⁢ in Latin America and Australia starting in 2025. This builds ⁤upon the existing ‍US$7.7 billion deal with Paramount in the United States,a move ‍that surprised many industry observers who had anticipated agreements with ESPN ⁤or Netflix.

The expansion includes live event coverage, UFC Fight Night events,⁢ preliminary fights, ‍and original programming on⁣ Paramount+ in these territories. ⁤ This move‍ strengthens Paramount’s position in the ⁣global sports streaming market and provides UFC with increased international reach. ⁤ The potential merger between Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD), the parent ‍company of TNT Sports and Eurosport, could further enhance these capabilities, creating a sports media powerhouse.
⁣

key Details of the Expansion

• Regions: Latin America and Australia
• Content: Live UFC events, UFC Fight Night events, preliminary fights, ‍and original programming.
• Platform: Paramount+
• Timing: Rollout beginning in 2025.
• Existing Deal: Builds on the existing‍ US$7.7 billion deal with Paramount in the united States.

The US$7.7 Billion Deal: A Surprise Move

In January 2023, the UFC announced a five-year deal with Paramount worth US$7.7 billion, granting Paramount exclusive streaming rights to UFC‍ content ⁢in the United States. Sportspro Media detailed the agreement, noting the unexpected nature ‍of the partnership given the strong interest from ESPN and Netflix, with Netflix reportedly considering a global deal. The deal effectively ended UFC’s long-standing relationship with⁣ ESPN+, which had been ⁢in place since 2018.

Industry ‍Implications and Potential Merger

The expansion into Latin America and‍ Australia signals a ⁣clear commitment from both UFC and Paramount to global growth. Analysts suggest this move is designed to capitalize on the increasing popularity of mixed martial arts in these regions. Moreover,the possibility of a merger between ‍Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery could create ⁢a dominant force in sports broadcasting, potentially offering even broader⁢ distribution for UFC content. The⁣ Hollywood ⁤Reporter has extensively covered the ongoing discussions surrounding a potential merger.
⁣

Statements from Key Executives

The partnership with Paramount has already been incredible and it just keeps getting bigger and better,” said UFC chief‍ executive ⁢Dana White. “They are now taking on new⁣ territories like Latin America and Australia ‍and this thing is‍ just going to‍ continue to grow. It just shows you how aggressive they are with this business, and I love it. I can’t wait to continue working together and building the next generation of ⁤talent all over the ‍world.”
Dana White, UFC Chief Executive

Delivering ‍premium UFC programming to audiences on a global scale remains ⁣a top ⁤priority for Paramount,” said Cindy Holland, chair of DTC, Paramount. “We are thrilled⁣ to expand upon the historic offering of UFC content for Paramount+ subscribers across all plans to more passionate and engaged fans around the ⁣world.”
Cindy holland, Chair of DTC, Paramount