Joe Rogan hopes UFC’s latest deal won’t sever ties with its longtime partner.
The UFC’s exclusive five-year rights agreement with paramount-espn-deal" rel="sponsored" class="affiliate-link">ESPN is set to conclude at the close of 2025. The promotion has already locked in its next landmark deal with a seven-year, $7.7 billion U.S. broadcasting partnership with Paramount Skydance Corporation.
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During its partnership with the UFC, ESPN showcased the promotion’s full slate of events across both its television network and the ESPN+ streaming platform, while holding exclusive rights to distribute pay-per-views.
The sports media powerhouse also delivered extensive UFC coverage and featured several former fighters as analysts and commentators. However, with the UFC now shifting to a new broadcast home, questions remain about how ESPN’s role in covering the sport will evolve moving forward.
Joe Rogan Wants UFC To Keep ESPN Association Despite Paramount+ Switch In 2026
During a recent episode of The Joe Rogan Experience, the veteran UFC commentator weighed in on the promotion’s new broadcasting deal with Paramount+. While Joe Rogan voiced his enthusiasm for the partnership set to kick off next year, he also admitted he hopes the UFC won’t sever its relationship with ESPN, which he sees as a crucial bridge to casual sports fans.
The 58-year-old acclaimed podcaster emphasized that ESPN remains a vital gateway for introducing new audiences to the world of MMA.
I’m kind of bummed out, and I hope they don’t lose the relationship that they had with ESPN with all their MMA shows,” Joe Rogan said. “I hope they don’t go, like, ‘F**k them. They went to Paramount.’ I hope it’s a mutually beneficial thing, like the UFC at least does some content still on ESPN, because I think that’s also a big factor in pulling people from casual viewers that watch other sports that might occasionally watch a UFC fight and then they see, like, Dustin Poirier vs. Max Holloway and they’re like, ‘Holy sh*t.’
And then they’re hooked. Having that coverage on SportsCenter, that shit’s huge. Having those post-fight shows on ESPN+, that sh*t is huge for the real dorks like me, that’s huge.
As part of the new agreement, Paramount+ will become the primary U.S. destination for all 13 numbered UFC pay-per-view cards and 30 Fight Night events annually. Every fight will stream live on the platform, while select high-profile cards will also receive a primetime broadcast on Paramount’s flagship network, CBS.
The UFC will also move away from its long-standing pay-per-view model, making every event accessible to Paramount+ subscribers. However, UFC CEO Dana White has hinted that the promotion may roll out special “one-off” PPV cards on rare occasions.
