UFC boss Dana White hints at live streaming of UFC events, potentially including a special event at the White House, on our platform in 2026
UFC Announces Major Media Rights Deal, Potential White House Lawn Event
The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has announced a significant new media rights deal that will see the popular mixed martial arts organisation move away from its traditional pay-per-view (PPV) model. The deal, worth approximately $7.7 billion over seven years, will see UFC events exclusively broadcast on Paramount+ and select events simulcast on CBS.
The deal, which starts in 2026, marks a major development in UFC's broadcast history. Under the terms of the agreement, UFC fans in the U.S. will no longer have to pay for PPV events, making content more affordable and accessible via Paramount+ and CBS.
According to TKO president and COO Mark Shapiro, the website will have simulcasts on many of the fights, and likely all of the numbered events, which were formerly PPV events. This means that fans will be able to watch major UFC events live, without the need for additional payments.
In addition to the media rights deal, UFC president Dana White has proposed the idea of a massive fight on the White House lawn on the 4th of July, marking the 250th anniversary of America. This event, if it goes ahead, would be a historic moment for the UFC and for the sport of mixed martial arts.
The idea of a UFC event on the White House lawn was initially floated by former President Donald Trump last month. Trump, who is known to be friends with UFC CEO Dana White, announced plans to potentially stage a UFC event on the White House lawn with 20,000 spectators as part of the festivities celebrating the 250th anniversary of American independence on July 4, 2026. This event is planned to be part of the yearlong celebration starting in 2026 but is a distinct event from the media rights deal.
The new media rights deal reunites the UFC with the broadcast group that helped the promotion break through to the mainstream. In the past, Spike TV aired events from EliteXC in 2008 before the broadcast deal was taken over by another entity. Dana White stated that his vision is for the entire world to watch UFC events on the same channel at the same time, and he believes this is getting closer to reality.
In summary, the new UFC media rights deal between TKO Group Holdings and Paramount will see the organisation move away from the PPV model, with all events being available on Paramount+ and some marquee events simulcast on CBS. The deal is valued at approximately $7.7 billion over seven years, averaging $1.1 billion annually. Additionally, there is the potential for a UFC event to take place on the White House lawn in 2026 as part of the celebrations for the 250th anniversary of American independence. This marks a significant transformation in how UFC content is distributed in the U.S. and includes a historic possible event on the White House lawn linked to the independence celebrations.
1 Fans will no longer have to pay for pay-per-view (PPV) events to watch UFC, as the new media rights deal with Paramount+ and CBS will make content more accessible.2 The idea of a UFC event on the White House lawn in 2026 has been proposed, potentially marking a historic moment for the UFC and mixed martial arts.3 Dana White has expressed a vision for the entire world to watch UFC events on the same channel at the same time, which he believes is getting closer to reality with this new media rights deal.
