Fans Want UFC To Sign Broadcast Deal With Netflix Which Could End PPV Model
- Dan Lalonde
- Apr 10
- 2 min read
As the UFC's $2.1 billion broadcast deal with ESPN enters its final stretch, speculation is heating up—and so is fan interest. The current agreement, once a milestone in UFC history, has revealed serious cracks, from declining pay-per-view (PPV) numbers to streaming mishaps like the UFC 313 debacle that left fans furious. With ESPN+ as the exclusive PPV provider, the promotion found financial security but lost flexibility in fighter negotiations and viewer accessibility.
Now, UFC President Dana White faces a defining decision: where to take the most valuable MMA brand next. Industry insiders and fans alike are placing their bets on Netflix, the $372 billion streaming behemoth, as the front-runner to land the next broadcasting contract—rumored to be worth up to $1 billion annually.
Netflix, once a sports streaming outsider, has surged into the arena with massive deals, including a $5 billion agreement with WWE’s Monday Night Raw. The streaming giant also made waves with events like the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match and the Netflix Cup, which drew unprecedented attention with its Formula 1 and PGA Tour crossover.
Fans have noticed, and the MMA community has rallied behind the idea of a Netflix-UFC alliance, with many pointing out the platform’s superior user experience and capacity for innovation.
The potential shift also fuels a bigger conversation: is the UFC finally ready to ditch the outdated PPV model? With fighter contracts increasingly complicated and audience expectations shifting toward subscription-based access, the timing couldn’t be better. As one fan put it, “Netflix will probably offer the deal & could also try to acquire MLB rights… I can see them eliminating the PPV model and bundling it into a sports package.”
Yet challenges remain. A transition to Netflix would likely require a full overhaul of fighter contracts and broadcasting logistics—no small task. But as UFC's current setup begins to show its age, and with streaming becoming the future of sports media, fans and experts agree: the UFC needs a fresh start. And Netflix might just be the one to deliver it.
Stay tuned—this summer or winter could bring the blockbuster announcement that reshapes the future of MMA broadcasting.
Source: Essentially Sports
Photo Credit: UFC/Netflix
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