Netflix will officially enter the fight game this weekend with a bang. After all, ‘Iron’ Mike Tyson, the biggest, one of the most beloved combat sports athletes in the world, is set to fight arguably the most hated man in the business, Jake Paul on November 15. Given Netflix’s 282 million strong subscriber base, some feel this fight may become the most watched in the history of the sport.

Boxing promoter extraordinaire Eddie Hearn is all for Netflix entering the fight game. Speaking to Ariel Helwani in a recent interview, the ‘Matchroom Boxing’ boss revealed that while he didn’t really see the streaming platform actually organizing many events like it is doing for Tyson-Paul, he felt it may partner with existing promotions to broadcast their fights.

“I don’t know. I mean you never say never but I don’t see a regular boxing schedule appearing on the platform. I may be wrong as time progresses, I think these one off big events on Netflix you know with the ability to cross promote with shoulder programming and you’ve seen that with the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson stuff. I think it really works. I mean obviously they have a huge subscriber base and I’m sure the fight this weekend will do fantastic numbers for them,” he said.

In fact, Hearn feels that this is great for the entire fight business since it gives promoters and fighters another platform to broadcast their fights. Not to mention more competition means more options and more negotiating power for promoters and fighters. That is why Hearn was not only glad to have Netflix in the game, but also hoped Tyson-Paul did big numbers.

“I think they’re going to be very important. Hopefully it can do good numbers and again, like you know I want more platforms in boxing, you know. I want there to be more money coming to the ecosystem of boxing. I want it to keep even our broadcaster on its toes, so like even showing this fight I think it’s good for boxing, you know,” he added. Not only is it good for boxing, but may be very beneficial for the UFC, too.

Netflix may bid for Dana White-led UFC rights next year

The UFC’s broadcast deal with ESPN comes to an end in 2025. UFC CEO Dana White has already promised a blockbuster deal that may follow the NFL’s latest $111 billion, ten-year broadcast deal. The NFL deal, of course, was with multiple broadcasters, including CBS, NBC, Fox, and Amazon.

Since the UFC has various products like its numbered PPV cards, Fight Night events, and the Contender Series, the Las Vegas-based promotion, too, could do a deal with multiple outlets. Netflix, it seems, is very interested in buying (at least part of) the broadcast rights.

According to the UFC’s parent company, TKO Holding’s COO, Mark Shapiro Netflix is intrigued by the global popularity of the promotion and may well bid for a slice of the UFC pie next year “I think absolutely they’d [Netflix would] be at the table on UFC… They’re looking for those leagues, those brands those kinda power sport content factories that can go global,” Shapiro said. And the Jake Paul-Mike Tyson fight may be its first tentative steps into the fight game, a sort of proof of concept, before going into the deep end with possibly a UFC deal next year. What do you think about Eddie Hearn’s take on Netflix entering the combat sports game?

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