UFC Paramount deal shifts pay per view

Georges St-Pierre and Jake Paul question how the new seven year Paramount broadcast deal will affect fighters' pay.

UFC Paramount deal tests fighter leverage

The UFC announced a seven year broadcast deal with Paramount that shifts most pay per views to Paramount's streaming service and to CBS networks. The deal is reportedly worth more than £700m per year, a sharp rise from the ESPN pact that previously governed UFC broadcasts. The arrangement could broaden the league's audience and boost overall revenue, but it also raises questions about how fighters will be compensated, especially those who previously earned a share of pay per view sales. Retired star Georges St-Pierre warned the deal could be good for the promotion but terrible for fighters who negotiate contracts today, arguing they may lose leverage if promotion duties are shared by the UFC. Jake Paul welcomed the transparency around UFC revenue, saying athletes can finally see the numbers behind the sport's economics and urging fighters to know their worth. Historically, top names did receive PPV points on top of purses, a practice now under scrutiny as the landscape shifts toward streaming models.

The shift to Paramount signals a broader move in sports media toward streaming, which can grow reach but may also compress the negotiating power of individual athletes. If most revenue runs through a centralized platform, fighters risk losing bargaining chips tied to event size and buyer interest. The voices of St-Pierre and Paul frame a larger debate about whether the UFC should offer explicit revenue sharing, equity stakes, or other incentives to keep stars engaged. Public reaction could hinge on whether fans see value in the new distribution or feel athletes are once again asked to carry the cost of a richer media deal.

Highlights

The next years will reveal whether the money leads to fairer pay or greater inequality.