It is no secret that Dana White is reportedly aiming for a blockbuster media rights deal worth over a billion dollars—more than double what its current partner ESPN has been paying annually since 2019. As the $1.5 billion partnership nears its end, the fight world can be in for a surprise—and after the frustrating glitches during UFC 313, securing a ‘reliable’ partner has become even more urgent. “Oh yeah, it made it to me. They were having problems buying it on ESPN+. I don’t know what happened with their platform tonight. There were a lot of pissed-off people.” White addressed the technical glitch during the event’s post-fight presser.

Moreover, it is being reported that the UFC brass is reportedly fuming at ESPN. Meanwhile, the media giant is not too happy with the PPV numbers being “way down”. As a result, the MMA juggernaut might be looking for a new home in 2026 before any further mishaps go down. A recent development suggests that Netflix is now the leading contender for the UFC’s media rights deal.

Reports also suggest that the promotion might be ditching its traditional PPV model and potentially have a separate monthly subscription with the Netflix framework. A multi-billion dollar agreement with the UFC would be a significant investment for the streaming giant, which has already committed $5 billion to a decade-long deal for WWE’s flagship weekly episodic show Monday Night Raw.

A prominent New York Post Sports reporter, Eric Richter shared insights into the situation. He said, “When I put that article out on Sunday night, I got a call from somebody who’s pretty well connected, and he said almost definitely Netflix. Almost definitely. Surely I believe was the exact word. So I would venture to guess that the UFC will do anything in their power to go to Netflix.”

On March 12, 2025, the UFC CEO appeared on the Fight Freaks Unite Podcast with Dan Rafael, where he addressed the ongoing battle for the promotion’s next TV rights deal. The head honcho said, “And the question is ‘Who’s it gonna be?’ Is it gonna be Amazon, YouTube, Disney? The list goes on and on. That’s who the players are gonna be. But what’s fascinating right now is when you look in, you got NFL college football, NBA college basketball, you got the NHL, Major League Baseball, the NBA, you got the UFC, WWE, and tennis… All these sports are looking for rights deals right now, right?”

“I always go out and figure out how to build s–t without the help of anybody. That’s what I do. Everybody is looking for a TV deal. Everybody is looking for money. I always try to figure out how do I take my thing to the next level and figure it out on my own.”

With major players involved and Netflix seemingly in pole position, fans are eagerly waiting to see where UFC content will land next. But is Netflix the right choice for the promotion? Well, Ariel Helwani believes so. Let’s see what he had to say!

Ariel Helwani weighs in on the potential of a UFC-Netflix partnership

In 2019, the UFC secured a five-year broadcasting deal with ESPN worth roughly $1.5 billion for domestic TV rights. The agreement was later extended by two years for pay-per-view events, increasing its annual value to an estimated $450 million. Now, Dana White is looking to take things to the next level. According to Bloomberg, the UFC CEO is aiming for a staggering $1 billion per year in its next media-rights deal.

With Netflix now stepping into the live sports arena, the streaming giant has emerged as a strong contender for the UFC’s broadcasting rights. Interestingly, Ariel Helwani believes Dana White’s promotion could follow WWE’s path and strike a major deal with Netflix. During an interview, Helwani shared his thoughts and stated:

“Oh yeah, there is a strong possibility (Netflix). The biggest story for me in 2025 as far as the business of MMA, is what happens to the UFC’s TV contract here in the United States because their deal with ESPN Plus is up at the end of the year. And they’re going to make a boatload. It is going to be the biggest deal in UFC history.”

While the UFC has yet to drop any major hints about its next broadcasting deal, Dana White has expressed optimism about starting a new venture with Netflix. With that in mind, what do you make of all the buzz surrounding the negotiations? Will Netflix become the new home for UFC broadcasts like just its sister promotion? Share your thoughts in the comments below!