Skydance-owned Paramount has secured exclusive U.S. media rights to all Ultimate Fighting Championship events in a seven-year agreement with parent company TKO Group Holdings worth about $7.7 billion. The contract begins in 2026, replacing the promotion’s existing partnership with Disney’s ESPN. Under the deal, Paramount+ will stream all 43 UFC cards each year at no additional cost to subscribers, while select events will air simultaneously on CBS. The arrangement eliminates the domestic pay-per-view model that has been in place since the sport’s early days, folding the 13 flagship “numbered” fights and 30 Fight Nights into a single subscription offering. Paramount will pay roughly $1.1 billion annually—more than double UFC’s current fee from ESPN—in the first major strategic move by new chief executive officer David Ellison following the company’s $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media. Ellison is betting the year-round mixed-martial-arts franchise will accelerate subscriber growth and reduce churn on Paramount+. UFC President Dana White said the influx of rights revenue "will be incredible for the fighters" and indicated the promotion is reviewing compensation structures. White also confirmed that the UFC plans to stage a fight card on the White House South Lawn on 4 July 2026, the United States’ 250th anniversary, with the event expected to be broadcast live on CBS.