Dana White’s UFC Dream Nears Reality as TKO Owners Introduce $500M Business Mogul to the Mix

The UFC is gearing up to enter a new era of streaming MMA fights, striking a massive $7.7 billion, seven-year deal with Paramount+. The agreement gives Paramount exclusive U.S. distribution rights and takes effect in 2026. The real intrigue? Fans won’t have to shell out for an extra PPV — at least in the United States. They’ll be able to watch the action with just one subscription. If that’s not a revolutionary shift, then what is? For Dana White, this moment has been years in the making, a vision he’s chased for a long time.

This contract roughly doubles the U.S. annual media value UFC previously received under its ESPN arrangement (the new deal averages about $1.1 billion per year). The change also opens the door for broader network exposure because Paramount plans to simulcast many—but not necessarily all—numbered events on CBS, bringing premium cards to broadcast TV in addition to Paramount+.

In an interview with CBS Sports, the UFC boss reflected on the historic deal. “I mean, this is everything I used to dream about. And, you know, streaming—my big thing was believing that one day we would be on a platform where the entire world could watch the fights at the same time and on the same channel. We’re definitely getting closer to that vision.”

That image of fans around the world tuning in together is powerful, and Dana White has now taken a major step toward making it a reality. But he wasn’t alone in turning that dream into reality. TKO’s top brass, especially Ari Emanuel and Mark Shapiro, played key roles in securing the deal. And it doesn’t stop there. Emanuel revealed how Paramount Skydance Corporation’s CEO and Chairman, David Ellison, brought his own creative vision to elevate the sport even further. Emanuel and Shapiro have publicly said they wanted to move away from the “old PPV” model, calling it a barrier to growing the audience — a strategic reason TKO favored a Paramount partnership.

TKO President Mark Shapiro told CNBC, “At the end of the day, his strategy—streaming, sports, and studios—is right in our wheelhouse. He sees media, he sees content, he sees storytelling through the prism and lens of technology. That idea and that strategy, combined with the best ad-tech solution in the business, is what he’s aiming for: a unified platform, more personalization.”

David Ellison, the son of Oracle co-founder Larry Ellison, took the helm of Paramount after the Skydance-Paramount transaction closed in early August 2025. He is a longtime Skydance producer with credits on major tentpoles. The business mogul boasts $500 million net worth (according to celebrity net worth), also producing Hollywood blockbusters, including Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation (2015), Life (2017), and Top Gun: Maverick (2022). With Ellison now working alongside Dana White and the UFC team, fans can expect a new level of production quality and storytelling when the deal kicks into gear in 2026.

However, as the Paramount deal has become a historical landmark for the company, the fans and the experts have been juggling the theories. Mainly around what made the promotion to cancel their PPV model. And a former UFC fighter has provided an interesting one, so let’s dive into that!

Brendan Schaub believes the UFC’s lack of star power caused the shift to the subscription model

Brendan Schaub has been at the forefront as one of the loudest voices criticizing the UFC and Dana White’s decisions. This time, however, the former heavyweight fighter gave the promotion its props for landing such a historic deal. Still, ‘Big Brown’ didn’t shy away from pointing out the UFC’s current lack of star power and the growing disconnect with the American audience. Factors he believes have pushed the promotion to shift from the PPV model to a subscription-based approach.

Schaub stated during the Thiccc Boy podcast, “Our model isn’t based on stars anymore—that’s what your PPV model relies on. So, it made sense to move away from the PPV model and just offer one price for Paramount+, with the fights also free on CBS. I’m hoping they’re doing that to help grow the sport. Again, it is what it is—the numbers are down in America. So, I’m hoping it gives more access to casual fans and gets more people on board.” 

Well, ‘Big Brown’ has previously taken shots at Dana White and the company for not disclosing PPV buy numbers to the public and for lacking a proper, dedicated scouting system like the NFL or NBA. So, in a way, his latest remarks feel like a continuation of that same criticism. Whether the real reason behind the move is declining PPV sales or simply the promotion wanting to embrace a new business model, the full picture will become clearer as more details about the deal emerge.

That said, what do you think about the UFC and Paramount’s new partnership? And how successful do you think it will be compared to their run with ESPN? Let us know in the comments below!