It is so about time for this.
Fans and Dana are upset, which is terrible news for ESPN if they were hoping to hold on to the UFC streaming rights.
There is a major shake-up brewing as reports indicate that Dana White is actively seeking a blockbuster deal with Netflix. With the current $1.5 billion deal between UFC and ESPN set to expire in 2025, tensions have risen as the two sides move towards a breakup.
The frustration with ESPN+ has been growing, particularly after UFC 313 in early March, when widespread streaming glitches again disrupted the pay-per-view. White has acknowledged the issue, and it has been a recurring problem. Fans already paying a monthly streaming fee to watch UFC events shell out extra money to watch the pay-per-view, only for ESPN to drop the ball.
On the other hand, ESPN is not happy with the drop in views for pay-per-view events and wants Dana to take action.
Netflix has tried to position itself in the sports market. Their first splash didn’t go so great when their streaming service couldn’t handle the load with the Tyson event. However, there were a few issues when it was time for them to host NFL games. There are also reports that the UFC may no longer adhere to the traditional payer-per-view model, although nobody knows what that means. New York Post’s Eric Richter recently stated that sources close to the negotiations are confident in Netflix’s bid, describing it as “almost definitely” the next step for UFC’s media rights.
I see $NFLX taking the premium package (f/k/a PPV). Likely less than the typical 12/yr but at higher price/event.
I think they will try to keep a free to air presence. That could mean Fox/NBC/maybe CW. 1-2/quarter from arenas.
DAZN takes fight nights from the apex plus DWCS.— FightOracle ™🇺🇸 (@fightoracle) March 16, 2025
Veteran MMA journalist Ariel Helwani feels like the UFC is heading to a Netflix deal and believes it could be “the biggest deal in UFC history.” Given Netflix’s recent $5 billion commitment to WWE’s Monday Night Raw and its foray into live sports with the upcoming Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match, the company appears ready to invest heavily in combat sports.
One thing that Netflix brings to the table for the UFC is that they have a vast global reach over Disney, and MMA is a global sport.
As for ESPN, they have another problem.
They are being propped up by Disney.
ESPN+ is trash. Big league failure. https://t.co/xPpI2ZDShf pic.twitter.com/MY6DDoOQ45
— FightOracle ™🇺🇸 (@fightoracle) March 16, 2025
If it wasn’t for those bundle packages they would be in huge trouble.
