From January 1, 2026, the UFC officially entered its historic $7.7 billion Paramount+ CBS era. The move instantly hyped UFC fans, mainly because there would be no, or very limited, PPVs, and viewers could access the fight library with just a platform subscription. However, as the promotion entered its new broadcasting era, panic quickly spread after a viral post surfaced online. The picture appeared to show Paramount demanding $2.99 to watch individual fights, catching fans completely off guard.

“You have to pay to watch individual ufc fights on Paramount, w—f” Popular MMA account, DovySimuMMA posted on X.

As soon as the post started making rounds, UFC fans instantly grew disappointed, believing they would need to shell out extra to watch previous fights. However, another social media account, @WhoKnows_85, later uploaded a video on X showing the entire fight library available on Paramount+ without any additional charges. That said, the confusion appeared to stem from users without a subscription, along with what looked like a technical glitch on the platform.

Although it was later proven that watching fights did not require any extra money, some fans still reacted with panic. One fan quickly chimed in, writing, “People were so happy for the Paramount switch 💀.” The comment highlighted how Dana White’s affordability promise seemed to backfire, at least based on the initial post showing per-fight charges. Another user simply reacted, “That’s wild.” And honestly, it really would have been if the UFC had actually charged that amount.

Following those two comments, another user pointed toward a possible glitch, writing, “Surely that’s just a day one error, if Americans don’t have access to Fight Pass anymore the UFC has really f—d them over.” It certainly looked like an error, especially since another social media user had already debunked the claim. Still, one fan was ready to take matters into his own hands, suggesting, “We all just have to start loading the fights we have on here, and one of us has to create a master database.” But that was not the end of it.

One fan went even further, hinting at illegal streaming by writing, “well back to pirating I go.” Recently, Daniel Cormier mentioned how illegal streams played a major role in the UFC shifting toward a no-PPV model, making that reaction feel like a step backward. Thankfully, that likely will not be necessary, as it now appears the fights are fully streamable with a subscription.

One surprisingly optimistic fan saw a positive angle in the idea of paid fights, writing, “My take is look at it like it’s for the benefits of our beloved fighters. I’m hoping they get some of it.” If the promotion actually shared that revenue with the fighters, fans might have been more open to the idea. 

Now, fans seem to be slowly understanding that they do not need to pay anything beyond the required subscription to watch fights. However, there is one bout the UFC might actually charge them to see. And judging by the recent buildup, that spectacle could very well be on.  

Michael Chandler green lights Conor McGregor fight at the UFC White House  

As the UFC entered the Paramount+ CBS era, the chances of a White House event have only increased. Dana White has yet to make it official, but the hype is strong enough to suggest it could eventually come to fruition. Surely, there is clearly a race to headline that card, and right now, Chandler vs McGregor seems to be gaining serious momentum.

Last year, ‘The Notorious’ re-entered the drug-testing pool, taking the first real steps toward a comeback. At the same time, Jon Jones has also pushed hard to be part of the event, but the former champ’s relationship with Dana White appears slightly strained following his retirement. When it comes to the headliner, Michael Chandler recently revealed that the UFC is actively thinking about him facing Conor McGregor at the White House.

“So, there’s a rumor going around. We can’t confirm or deny it, but it does sound like I might be handing Conor McGregor a good, old-fashioned, passionate, red, white, and blue butt whooping on the south lawn of the White House sometime this summer, and that’s the plan. Let’s go,” ‘Iron’ told CBS.

Those were confident words from Michael Chandler, who looks more than fired up about a clash with the former two-division champion. That said, if the White House card does get headlined by the TUF Season 31 coaches, do you think Dana White would at least keep the main card as a PPV? Let us know in the comments section below.

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