Of course, it’s both a farewell and a fresh start. The UFC’s seven-year, $7.7B U.S. media deal moves the entire slate to Paramount+ in 2026 with select marquee events on CBS - an enormous reach play that shifts the center of gravity from pay-per-view to subscription and broadcast windows. For fans, that means cheaper, easier access and far wider casual exposure; for the business, it means re-engineering how the biggest nights are monetized and marketed.

Will PPV disappear entirely? Not necessarily. The parties are clearly pivoting “away from” the PPV model, but they’ve left room to experiment around mega events. Expect the spectacle to migrate toward CBS tentpoles and Paramount+ scale, with pricing friction lowered and piracy pressure eased, but with star-driven specials still possible when economics demand it.

For fighters, this is the trade: a bigger audience and steadier visibility versus questions about upside if PPV splits shrink. If rights fees replace PPV as the primary engine, contracted guarantees and long-tail engagement (think shoulder programming, broader marketing, and CBS nights) become more important. In the aggregate, the mid-card likely benefits most; true A-sides will push for new bonus structures tied to subscriber growth and viewership.

Boxing, meanwhile, is already living the streaming reality. Top Rank’s ESPN run ended July 26, effectively closing the book on linear-TV boxing in the U.S. The lesson is clear: the next decade belongs to platforms (Netflix/Prime/DAZN/Paramount+) and big-event simulcasts, not cable bundles. That doesn’t have to be a downgrade - if promoters and networks build discoverability, shoulder content, and consistent calendars instead of isolated islands of hype.

One last wrinkle: ESPN isn’t leaving combat altogether. Beginning in 2026, ESPN’s new deal to carry WWE premium live events, including WrestleMania, keeps the “fight night” audience in its ecosystem even as UFC departs. That sets up a fascinating split: UFC grows on Paramount/CBS, boxing diversifies across streamers, and ESPN leans into sports-entertainment at massive scale. Different lanes, same destination - the subscription era.

Image Credit: The Sun