UFC will be parting was with FOX Sports at the end of the year after striking a deal with sports network giant ESPN. According to reports, ESPN is paying $300 million a year over a span of five years making the total deal worth $1.5 billion. For their money, ESPN will get 30 UFC fight cards per year split between their linear channels and their new streaming service ESPN+.
The UFC will also still broadcast their regular pay-per-view cards and will continue to host “Fight Night” streaming content on UFC.tv.
FOX is leaving the UFC business and according to sources is close to closing on a new five-year deal with WWE worth over $1 billion that will make FOX the new home of WWE Smackdown beginning in Oct. 2019.
A statement from FOX Sports about their split with UFC reads:
“FOX Sports has enjoyed an amazing partnership with the UFC over the last seven years. As FOX Sports was planning the launch of FS1, Dana White and Lorenzo Fertitta were the first partners to believe in the idea and vision of the new network. We look forward to finishing out 2018 with more exciting live events and wish the UFC continued success in the years to come.”