The UFC’s $7.7 billion media rights deal with Paramount has the combat sports world buzzing, and former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley is the most recent to weigh in. Starting in 2026, all UFC events will be streamed live on Paramount+ with no additional pay-per-view fees – a move that is expected to increase the promotion’s global reach. For O’Malley, it’s exhilarating, but it also raises concerns that could shape how this new age unfolds.

‘Suga’ admitted he is still unsure how the deal will affect him and the other fighters. During his appearance on One Night with Steiny, he stated that he intends to seek answers directly from the UFC. “That’s a question I have with UFC as well… I haven’t talked to them about it. No more pay-per-view – I’m still curious how it’s going to be.”

His views reflect a greater skepticism among fighters about whether the revenue surge will mean bigger paychecks. But that’s not all. The bantamweight fighter also questioned whether the UFC’s numbered cards would still seem like blockbuster events under the new model. He confessed he’s “curious how the cards are going to look,” noting that pay-per-view shows often stack the top five fights with big names and pack the prelims with talent.

With a subscription model that guarantees revenue regardless of the lineup, Sean O’Malley wonders if the UFC may be tempted to ease up on loading every card with stars. Nonetheless, O’Malley struck an optimistic tone. He feels that the Paramount contract, which puts the UFC in front of more fans than ever before, would eventually benefit athletes.

“I think at the end of the day, there’s going to be more eyeballs on the fights, more eyeballs on the fighters. UFC is going to become a bigger platform. More people are going to watch UFC now than they did before. So, I think it helps fighters, helps us,” he said on the podcast. With simulcasts of major events on CBS in addition to Paramount+, the UFC could be on the verge of its biggest mainstream success yet.

However, the specifics are still unknown for the time being. UFC CEO Dana White has described the agreement as a win for everyone, but there is still no concrete plan yet on fighter compensation. Whether this collaboration raises compensation or primarily benefits the promotion will become obvious once the deal kicks in. But what led the UFC to make such a massive deal with the streaming giants in the first place?

Sean O’Malley reveals the real motivation behind the UFC-Paramount deal

If fighter pay was one half of the discussion, Sean O’Malley believes the other half is the silent but significant impact of piracy. With pay-per-view numbers constantly under threat from illegal streaming, the UFC may have been forced to reconsider its business strategy. ‘Suga’ noted that piracy had grown too large to ignore and that Paramount’s subscription model could be the UFC’s solution to reduce losses and re-engage fans in a paid ecosystem.

“The illegal streaming platforms were just taking over pay-per-view, so it makes sense to get away from that and to go the way they’re going,” O’Malley said in a recent interview. Fans who are hesitant to pay $80 per month will find a flat subscription rate appealing. For the UFC, it’s an opportunity to regain at least some of the audience that was never paying to begin with.

This does not mean that pay-per-view will disappear right away. Dana White has kept the door open, suggesting that unique “supercards” may still command a premium. The UFC head honcho told the New York Post, “Anything is possible… Pay-per-view is not dead.” Still, the Paramount deal is a clear acknowledgment of shifting realities. Illegal streams may have pushed the UFC’s hand, but they also paved the way for what may be the promotion’s most fan-friendly era yet.