TKO Group Holdings president and COO Mark Shapiro said talks are ongoing with Paramount-Skydance about expanding UFC programming across its platforms following the company's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Shapiro said TKO will look to maximize HBO, TNT, Paramount+ and CBS to grow UFC viewership and engagement. The UFC's seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount, which began in 2026, currently places every event exclusively on Paramount+ with pay-per-view eliminated.
TKO Group Holdings is in discussions with Paramount-Skydance about spreading UFC programming across a wider set of networks and streaming services, according to company executive Mark Shapiro. MMA Fighting reported the comments, which come after Paramount's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros.
Shapiro, TKO's president and chief operating officer, said the promotion intends to make the most of HBO, TNT, Paramount+ and CBS as it works to grow UFC viewership and engagement. The talks are described as ongoing, and no specific programming plans or schedules have been laid out.
The current arrangement
The UFC's existing agreement with Paramount is a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal that began in 2026. Under its terms, every UFC event streams exclusively on Paramount+, and pay-per-view has been eliminated. That means any move onto linear or cable outlets such as CBS, TNT or HBO would mark a shift from the current single-platform model.
The Warner Bros. acquisition is what makes the wider reach possible. With HBO and TNT now under the same corporate umbrella as Paramount+ and CBS, TKO is looking at a portfolio of platforms rather than one streaming home.
Why it matters
- Broader exposure: Placing UFC content on broadcast, cable and premium channels could put the sport in front of audiences who do not subscribe to Paramount+.
- Deal structure: The existing agreement is exclusive to Paramount+, so any expansion would be a notable change in how the promotion's product is distributed.
- Corporate alignment: The merger puts several major media brands under one owner, which simplifies negotiations compared with dealing with separate companies.
Shapiro's remarks stop short of announcing any new broadcast arrangement. Which events or content would move to the additional platforms, and when, remains unclear.
For fans, the practical question is whether the elimination of pay-per-view stays intact while distribution widens. The current model puts every card behind one subscription, and the talks Shapiro described suggest TKO wants to add reach on top of that foundation rather than replace it.
