The UFC-ESPN partnership has defined an era of streaming MMA for millions of fans. It began with a blockbuster five-year, $1.5 billion deal in 2019, which was later extended by two more years as fan demand soared. But with that tenure wrapping up this December, Dana White has dropped a major hint that the UFC could be eyeing a seismic $1 billion shift to Netflix in its next broadcasting venture.

In April this year, the negotiation window officially opened for the UFC’s next streaming home. With over 300 million global subscribers and a market value closing in on $500 billion, Netflix quickly emerged as the prime frontrunner, especially after WWE, also under the TKO umbrella, made its move to the platform. Amazon Prime also entered the conversation, looking to bring UFC action to its viewers. But that’s not all.

The UFC head honcho at the UFC 314 press conference has teased another possibility that the promotion might be distributed across multiple broadcasters, adding a fresh twist to how the company may reshape its broadcasting strategy. But, to keep things interesting, TKO Group President Mark Shapiro and ESPN Chairman Jimmy Pitaro held positive talks about extending their partnership. However, now, the 55-year-old speaking on the Full Send podcast, hinted at a new direction, one that could shake up how fans watch the UFC moving forward. 

White stated in FullSend Podcast, “The world’s going to change a lot in the next year with our rights deals. Depending on where we end up, but more than likely, we’re going to end up with a platform that is way more global than we are now.”

The UFC head honcho didn’t explicitly confirm that Netflix would become the promotion’s new home. However, given that UFC’s parent company, TKO, has already established a relationship with Netflix through WWE’s move, it wouldn’t be a shocker if the Octagon finds its way onto the platform too. As for whether fights will stream via subscription or remain pay-per-view? That’s still up in the air, something only Dana White can clarify when the time comes. 

And with the highly anticipated UFC White House event rumored for next year, it’ll be interesting to see how everything unfolds from here. Talking about the anticipated event, Dana White seems to have already started figuring out the logistics behind it. So, let’s take a look at that.

Dana White already laying the groundwork for the historic UFC White House event

Is the UFC White House card still just a dream? Maybe, but Dana White has already begun laying the groundwork to turn it into reality. The envisioned event, backed by the 45th and 47th U.S. President Donald Trump and rumored to draw over 20,000 spectators, would demand meticulous, high-level planning. And with the fights expected to go down as usual, White is already busy mapping out the logistics behind the scenes.

At the Spinning Backfist podcast, White stated, “We’d already done all the logistics. My team went out there and walked it. We”re putting together renderings. They should be done in the next 10 days and we’re gonna fly out to the White House and present it to him. See what he does like and what he doesn’t like and Ivanka is in the middle of this too.”

Well, with a massive broadcasting deal looming and the UFC White House event potentially in the pipeline, fans might just be in for something truly historic. Not only could the promotion deliver unforgettable moments, but it also stands poised to reach new heights in the combat sports world. And who knows? 2026 might just turn out to be the biggest year yet for the UFC, both in terms of audience engagement and financial success.

With that being said, what’s your take on the UFC’s next broadcasting move? Could Netflix really become the new home for fight fans? And if that happens, how do you think they’ll handle Pay-Per-View access for subscribers? Drop your thoughts in the comments below!