Many in the MMA world are curious about UFC’s next broadcast deal. The multi-billion-dollar promotion’s current deal with ESPN will come to an end at the end of 2025.
The deadline for negotiations with ESPN ended on April 15. So, it might be safe to say that the UFC will be looking for a new partner for their broadcasting rights, and some believe that the streaming giant Netflix could be one of the contenders for the new deal.
Joe Rogan Speaks About the Potential Broadcast Deal Between the UFC and Netflix
UFC commentator Joe Rogan recently had prominent American NFL quarterback Aaron Rodgers on his podcast. At one point during their conversation, Rodgers asked Rogan whether the UFC would move to Netflix in the near future.
This led Rogan to weigh in on the promotion’s current pay-per-view model and whether the same would work after their possible transition to Netflix.
“I don’t know if they could do that. I’m a dummy. I’m not a business guy. I don’t understand,” said Rogan. “So, the problem is, would they [the UFC] be pay-per-view still? Because the Mike Tyson-Jake Paul fight was on Netflix and you could just watch it just like you watch everything else… So, if they had the UFC on Netflix but they made people pay more for it, I don’t know how that would work out.”
UFC CEO Dana White was asked a similar question during his appearance at the UFC 314 post-fight press conference in April 2025. White shared that they usually honor the wishes of the broadcasting partner in such a deal.
“It’s usually we do what works for the network,” said White. “What do they want to do? Do they want to just put it on their air? Do they want to do pay-per-view? I don’t know. Do they want to put it behind a paywall? I don’t know any of those things. Tuesday, the window opens and we start talking to other networks and we’ll get more into that.”
Rogan’s fellow UFC commentator Jon Anik has weighed in on the issue. During his conversation with Sean O’Malley’s coach, Tim Welch, Anik stated that he was excited about Netflix possibly partnering with the top MMA promotion.
He also opined that the UFC was prepared to showcase its product to the streaming giant.
“I mean, it’s exciting to think about a world in which Netflix was a part of this, if not all of this. And uh, yeah, we’re ready to go,” said Anik. “Like humbly, we feel like from a television standpoint, our live event is as good as any in pro sports, even if it doesn’t get the domestic Emmy-type acknowledgement. So uh, yeah, we’re ready to play for whoever wants us.”