UFC to Air All Pay-Per-View Events Through ESPN+ Starting with UFC 236

Beginning with UFC 236 set for April 13, all UFC pay-per-view events will be streamed exclusively through ESPN+, according to Todd Spangler of Variety.

The ESPN agreement will ensure the company covers all 12 annual events through at least 2025.

"Cord-cutting is real," UFC President Dana White said of the benefits of the move. "It's scary the amount of subs dropping every year. Why wouldn't I want to be aligned with the biggest, baddest sports company in the world? The timing couldn't be better for us. Now it's a one-stop shop at ESPN."

This news comes after ESPN first bought UFC television rights last May for a reported $1.5 billion over the course of a five-year period.

While Fox Sports had previously carried coverage of the mixed martial arts events, Endeavor president Mark Shapiro said there have been twice as many viewers on ESPN in 2019 compared to that of Fox Sports 1.

ESPN+ is a subscription service that costs $4.99 per month, which includes live-streaming coverage to a variety of sports as well as 20 UFC events during the course of the year. Subscribers will now get an option to purchase the PPV for $59.99 on top of the monthly pricing, although it is $5 cheaper than the previous costs to watch a PPV.

UFC will also offer bars and restaurants an opportunity to buy PPVs separately.

Fans will get a chance to first check out the new system with UFC 236, featuring a lightweight title fight between Max Holloway and Dustin Poirier.