The UFC has confirmed that Dana White’s Contender Series (DWCS), The Ultimate Fighter (TUF), and Road to UFC are not part of its new deal with Paramount. The UFC continues to explore broadcast options for these shows.
The seven-year, $7.7 billion U.S. agreement between UFC and Paramount covers numbered events and Fight Night cards. UFC President Dana White confirmed to Sports Business Journal that DWCS does not fall under this deal.
A press release announcing the agreement highlighted UFC events but did not mention properties like DWCS, TUF, or Road to UFC. White confirmed that the U.S. rights for DWCS remain undecided.
“Yeah. That could be split up,” White said. “We’ll see how that plays out.”
UFC properties may remain separate from Paramount
While White’s comments did not directly mention TUF or Road to UFC, the rights for those shows likely remain unsettled. TUF first aired in 2005 on the Paramount Network, then known as Spike, alongside Fight Night events. It later moved to FOX and ESPN. Road to UFC has aired exclusively on UFC Fight Pass and may continue there.
DWCS debuted on UFC Fight Pass in 2017 before moving to ESPN+ in 2019 under the UFC-ESPN deal. That contract expires at the end of this year, leaving DWCS outside the Paramount agreement and potentially allowing ESPN to retain some UFC content.
Dana White expects ESPN to continue UFC coverage
White does not expect ESPN to reduce its UFC coverage after 2025. “When we first started out over there, we had some rockiness figuring out how to work together,” White said. “Over the last seven years, we have built an incredible relationship with the company and its people. I see the exact opposite of less coverage happening. We wouldn’t be here today without ESPN, and I plan to maintain that partnership for my career.”
Details of the Paramount UFC deal
The deal between UFC and Paramount guarantees 43 UFC cards, including 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Night cards, on Paramount+. A select number of numbered events, four according to White, may air on the CBS network, while executives Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro suggest all could be broadcast there.
Paramount also gains a 30-day exclusive window to negotiate international UFC broadcasting rights when current agreements expire, giving the company priority to secure overseas distribution.
