Conor McGregor‘s long-awaited UFC return was always supposed to be one of the most significant streaming tests of the Paramount+ era. Unfortunately for many fans, it didn’t take long for the complaints to start pouring in.

With ‘The Notorious’ making his first Octagon appearance in nearly five years against Max Holloway in the UFC 329 main event, hundreds of fight fans complained online about buffering, freezes, black screens, and other streaming troubles even before the show could get to its main card. Others were equally dissatisfied with the number and timing of commercials that have plagued the show so far.

The timing couldn’t have been worse for Paramount. UFC 329 is perhaps the platform’s biggest event since acquiring the UFC’s broadcasting rights for a seven-year contract worth $7.7 billion, a major move that saw its launch with UFC 324 back in January.

The new partnership eliminated the traditional pay-per-view model. Instead of paying roughly $80 for each numbered event, subscribers now receive every UFC Fight Night and pay-per-view card as part of their Paramount+ subscription, which costs around $8.99 per month for the ad-supported tier or $13.99 per month for the ad-free tier.

However, it is also worth noting that the switch to Paramount+ hasn’t been without some serious obstacles, but it has been trending in the right direction. When the new broadcast era debuted with UFC 324, fans criticized the platform for cutting away from fighter walkouts, shoving commercials into the corners between rounds, and disrupting the flow of the event.

After weeks of backlash, Paramount made significant adjustments by reintroducing full walkouts and limiting the amount of advertising that interfered with the live broadcast. Many fans had started warming up to the new model, especially because every UFC event is now included in a monthly membership rather than requiring the aforementioned pay-per-view purchase.

That’s what made the streaming issues during UFC 329 feel like such a setback, arriving on arguably the biggest night of the Paramount era.

Fans clearly frustrated by Paramount+ issues during UFC 329

On possibly the most crucial night of the Paramount collaboration thus far, many viewers thought the service was simply unprepared for the traffic brought by Conor McGregor’s return.

One frustrated fan wrote, “Bought Paramount+ for the fight tonight. The stream is occasionally pausing. Not my internet. Not ideal as they should know this is going to be a huge night for them.”

Others were even more annoyed by the timing of the advertisements.

“Is there anything worse than Paramount switching to commercials the second the fighters are walking out? How f—— annoying. No UFC fan would’ve agreed to this bulls—,” one fan posted.

Another fight fan joked, “Paramount+ dies and then gives us 180 seconds of ads LMFAAAOOO.”

Some questioned the platform itself. “Seven months into Paramount+ and I wish the UFC didn’t choose this app over Netflix. This app is straight a—,” one fan wrote. As the glitches continued before the featured bouts, concern only grew. “Paramount has been glitchy AF today. They better straighten this out before the main card,” another fan said.

A different viewer added, “Nah, Paramount really gotta get their s— together before this main card!! These lags and blackouts can’t happen!”

One fan even predicted what many feared. “I have a strong suspicion that this isn’t the last time the Paramount app will crash tonight.”

However, not everyone was ready to abandon the new broadcast model. “I gotta admit after six months I’m enjoying the Paramount era,” one fan wrote. “I’d rather pay a few extra bucks and get the entrances and no commercials, but ESPN+ was one of the worst things in human history.”

Another added, “My only complaint is the excessive ads and lack of event replays, but it’s definitely worth the trade of not having to worry about a stream or whether ESPN will f— up.”

One fan even suggested the final piece of the puzzle. “If they just uploaded the entire card afterwards and kept the walkouts uninterrupted, Paramount would be perfect.”

It’s unclear whether Paramount will officially address the streaming issues. However, on the most significant UFC card of their partnership so far, the broadcaster became almost as much of a talking point as the fights inside the Octagon.