UFC Shanghai is underway and already into the main card, with some exciting clashes unfolding at the Oriental Sports Center. The audience watching the action from inside the venue has filled the arena with thunderous cheers as they enjoy the fights. But Paramount+ subscribers watching the spectacle from home have struggled to follow the action once again due to repeated crashes.
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As the main card fights went live, prominent martial arts journalist Jed Meshew of MMA Fighting took to X to air his grievances about the streaming platform.
“I wake up at 3 am to watch some fights and then Paramount+ crashes,” Meshew wrote on X. “Inauspicious.”
Right after that, the veteran journalist revealed that his English Paramount+ stream crashed again before suddenly switching entirely to the Portuguese broadcast.
“After crashing again, Paramount is now playing the Portuguese stream for me,” he posted on X. “Really well-oiled machine over there.”
After crashing again, Paramount is now playing the Portuguese stream for me. Really well-oiled machine over there
I wake up at 3am to watch some fights and then Paramount+ crashes. Inauspicious.
Problems for viewers on Paramount+ are nothing new. In fact, subscribers to the platform have been dealing with similar issues during one UFC numbered event or Fight Night after another. The most recent notable incident came when Paramount+ users struggled to stream UFC 330 on PlayStation 5.
UFC 330 broadcast was also plagued by crashes, glitches, and abrupt buffering on Roku. But that’s far from the only UFC event to be hit by streaming issues.
Before the promotion’s return to Philadelphia, UFC 326 suffered many of the same problems. However, several users reported their screens going completely black during the main event showdown between Max Holloway and Charles Oliveira. Even former UFC flyweight champion Demetrious Johnson voiced his frustration with the promotion’s broadcasting partners.
Following Meshew’s update, fans also joined the conversation, revealing that they had been dealing with similar streaming issues while watching UFC Shanghai. Many didn’t mince their words while calling out the broadcasting platform for the frustrating experience.
Fans react to Paramount+ crashes during UFC Shanghai stream
One fan quickly chimed in, writing, “Crashed again for me and can’t get the English version to play.” Another fan then blasted Paramount+ for the barrage of crashes while pointing to reports of an upcoming price hike, writing, “@paramountplus lots of crashes, & a reported rate hike.”
Well, UFC’s current broadcasting partner reportedly raised its prices in early January 2026, just before UFC 324 became the first event to stream on the platform. Previously, the basic subscription cost $59.99 annually, while Premium was priced at $119.99. Now, users are paying $89.99 per year for the basic plan and $139.99 for Premium, marking a pretty hefty hike.
Since then, there haven’t been any recent reports of Paramount+ raising its prices again. However, with streaming problems continuing to plague UFC events, fans certainly won’t be thrilled about paying more if they can’t even watch the action without constant interruptions.
Following this, one user jokingly revealed that switching to the Portuguese commentary feed had actually provided a smoother experience, writing, “I’ve watched the Portuguese feed probably 20% of the time this summer because it crashes way less. Porra!”
Another user spotted a bizarre blunder during UFC Shanghai on Fight Pass, with the on-screen graphic apparently listing a fighter’s nationality incorrectly, “Just watching the first fight on Fight Pass and the on-screen graphic says this Canadian lad is from somewhere like Prince John Island, Brazil.”
Here, the fan was referring to the UFC graphic identifying Canadian fighter Cam Nelson as being from Brazil when he opened the card against Meng Ding, another broadcasting blunder that quickly drew the ire of fans.
With that, UFC Shanghai became another card marred by Paramount+’s streaming woes this year. Hopefully, the UFC and its seven-year broadcasting partner can finally iron out these glitches and deliver fans a seamless viewing experience for the remainder of the year.