With the current 7-year $1.5 billion broadcasting deal between the UFC and ESPN set to end this year, all eyes have focused on the future of the MMA promotion’s broadcasting rights. And the question that looms around the fight promotion is who will shake Dana White’s hand regarding the TV rights. The options were many, with a renewal deal with ESPN in the mix. But things got interesting with Netflix’s entry into the picture. And with uncertainty shrouding it all, rumors began to fly around the internet. Now, one more rumor seems to have risen, claiming the return of ESPN as a broadcasting partner for UFC. 

Before we get to the rumor, let’s take a look at what Jimmy Pitaro, the chairman of the $25 billion broadcasting company, said about their relationship with UFC. After White claimed that his team was looking at a lot of different options and expected more than a billion dollars per year for the TV rights, Pitaro had to give it a good thought.

Talking to Sports Business Journal, the ESPN chairman said, “The exclusive negotiating window is expiring imminently, but I wouldn’t read too much into that. We’re not hyper-focused on that window. We know that there’s going to be interest in the UFC, and that’s great for the sport. It’s great for them. But we remain interested in trying to figure something out with those guys.”

For the unversed, the exclusive negotiation window between the UFC and ESPN ended on April 15. So does that mean UFC will actually sign the deal with the $422B streaming giant? That’s what the new news splash is all about. Fight Oracle recently took to X and shared some details about the UFC’s new broadcasting rights deal. The tweet read, “I heard this from a serious person in regard to the UFC media rights deal. ESPN will get PPVs, DWCS, and Fight Nights. Netflix will get the big fight nights that aren’t at the Apex.”

It’s hard to believe that, right? After all, many fans previously dismissed ESPN as a viable option for the broadcasting rights deal. However, the UFC head honcho did have some positive comments for the $25B company. Let’s see what White said about ESPN. 

Dana White weighs in on having ESPN as the broadcasting partner for UFC

During the UFC 314 post-fight press conference, Dana White talked about his expectations from the new broadcasting deals. Needless to say, he wanted the UFC to go on multiple networks like most other mainstream sports do. But how did the UFC CEO feel about working alongside ESPN? He said, “I like ESPN. I’ve said it many times, we had a bit of a rocky start, which is normal in any relationship, but we’re in a great place with ESPN. If we re-sign with them or do not, I have nothing but great things to say about my time at ESPN.”

For the unversed, recent events like UFC 304 and UFC 313 faced technical issues where fans weren’t able to access the live stream properly. The blame naturally fell on ESPN’s shoulders. However, these recent comments from White seem to be pointing in a positive direction. So, does this mean we’ll actually get to witness the fights through ESPN? Well, not really!

Signing a deal didn’t just focus on what White wanted. It also meant that the UFC should give some thought to what the streaming platforms wanted. He said, “It depends on what ESPN or wherever else we go is looking for. Most of the times when you do these deals, you’re catering to what the network needs. Plus, they’ll have other programming, other sports that they’re already committed to at certain times and seasons, and whatever it may be. It always changes. It doesn’t matter to me.”

Netflix’s boss had already confirmed that the UFC’s $1B pitch per year was unacceptable. Earlier in April 2025, the co-CEO of Netflix, Ted Sarandos, expressed his doubts about signing a deal with the fight promotion. This was because Sarandos believed that there was no way ESPN got #300K PPV buyouts and that, arguably, frustrated the sports giant. 

And Netflix simply didn’t want to be in that position. So, the next best option would indeed be selective signing of the TV rights deal, don’t you agree? What do you think of the UFC getting streamed live on Netflix? Do you think it’s a good option for White to choose two different platforms for different fights? Let us know what you think in the comments down below.