Mark Shapiro, president and COO of TKO Group Holdings, which includes the UFC, assured that the promotion’s fighters will feel the effects of the deal with Paramount just as investors will.
Mark Shapiro at the Goldman-Sachs Communacopia and Technology conference
The cream of the crop will be paid the premium dollars. When we do deals like this, we don't hoard that money. We invest in the product.
This August the UFC signed the largest agreement in its history: beginning in 2026 broadcast rights will move from ESPN to Paramount. The deal is worth $7.7 billion, more than double the revenue of the previous contract.
Earlier, current UFC welterweight champion Jack Della Maddalena signed a new agreement with the promotion. He became the first champion in the sport to sign a new contract after the UFC‑Paramount deal was announced.
