Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is set to begin a new era, leaving behind ESPN in favor of signing a deal with Paramount+, which is huge for fight fans because that means the pay-per-view (PPV) era is dead (more on that here).

UFC lightweight fighters Justin Gaethje, left, and Paddy Pimblett face off as UFC president Dana White looks on during a news conference for UFC 324 at T-Mobile Arena Thursday, Jan. 22, 2026. Gaethje and Pimblett will fight for an interim lightweight title at the arena on Saturday. Photo by: Steve Marcus