July 18, 2024; Milwaukee, WI, USA; Dana White, CEO of Ultimate Fighting Championship introduces Republican presidential nominee Donald J. Trump during the final day of the Republican National Convention at the Fiserv Forum. The final day of the RNC featured a keynote address by Republican presidential nominee Donald Trump. Mandatory Credit: Jasper Colt-USA TODAY

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UFC-ESPN Deal In Jeopardy After UFC 313 Problems As Netflix Emerges As Potential Broadcast Partner

UFC and ESPN are on the verge of breaking up as talks of Netflix becoming the official partner of the promotion rise!

The relationship between UFC and ESPN hasn’t been rocky from the start. When they first signed their deal back in 2019, fans were excited about the potential. The five-year partnership promised to bring mixed martial arts to a wider audience.

UFC CEO Dana White spoke glowingly about the partnership. ESPN touted their technical capabilities. Everyone seemed happy with the arrangement on paper. But as anyone who’s tried to stream a big fight night knows, reality has been quite different.Now it seems the UFC has reached its breaking point with ESPN+.

This is awful.. Sit down to watch #UFC313 and can't pay to access it on ESPN+…. Keeps popping up error.

Tried phone, and multiple TVs. I've purchased every PPV event for 5+ years. Unreal.

Thanks @ESPNPlus @ufc
— ChadTheDad (@ChadMeszaros) March 9, 2025

According to reports Dana White and the UFC brass are furious with the streaming service. The final straw apparently came during last weekend’s UFC 313 featuring Alex Pereira vs. Magomed Ankalaev. Viewers experienced unbearable technical issues during the pay-per-view event. Even UFC fighters took to social media to blast the poor streaming quality. This follows months of similar problems including dropouts, lag, and connection failures during major events.

Also Read: ‘He Moved Up To Fight for the Belt’ – Coach Diego Lima Feels Ilia Topuria Wouldn’t Vacate Belt Without Lightweight Title Guarantee!

ESPN+ Technical Issues Push UFC To Breaking Point

The technical problems with ESPN+ have become so predictable that fans now joke about it on social media. Before each pay-per-view, the question isn’t if there will be streaming issues, but how bad they will be this time. It’s become a running gag in the MMA community. The service has struggled to handle the traffic during big fights.

Subscribers often find themselves staring at loading screens during critical moments. Some have reported being logged out automatically during main events. Others complain about picture quality suddenly dropping to unwatchable levels. These aren’t just minor inconveniences when fans have paid $74.99 for a premium sporting event.

UFC and its parent company TKO are reportedly fed up with these ongoing issues. The sports promotion has built its reputation on delivering high-quality, reliable content to fans. When the delivery method fails, it reflects poorly on the UFC brand.

Dana White has always been fiercely protective of how UFC content is presented. He is known for his attention to production details. So it’s no surprise that these persistent streaming problems have pushed him to consider alternative options as their contract with ESPN approaches renewal discussions (by the end of this year).

Netflix Emerges As Potential New UFC Broadcast Partner

Netflix, the streaming giant is increasingly moving into live sports. The platform recently scored huge viewership with the Jake Paul vs. Mike Tyson boxing match (not without problems though). They also successfully streamed NFL games on Christmas Day last year. Netflix has made it clear they want to become a major player in live sports broadcasting. Adding UFC to their lineup would be another significant step in that direction.

🚨 A few inside details of the UFCs issues with ESPN from @erichterrr/@nypost

▫️ The UFC are still extremely upset with ESPN over the PPV issues during the Pereira v Ankalaev card

▫️ UFC have an issue with ESPN because of their technology and ESPN feel like they’re not getting… pic.twitter.com/s5dXOv0A22
— ACD MMA (@acdmma_) March 15, 2025

According to industry insiders, UFC will be “doing everything in their power” to secure a deal with Netflix. The streaming service has already demonstrated it can handle massive concurrent viewership without technical failures. Their infrastructure was built for global scale from day one. It is a match that makes a lot of sense for both parties. UFC gets a reliable technical partner with global reach. Netflix gets premium live sports content that drives subscriptions and engagement.

ESPN Shifts Focus Away From Combat Sports

Meanwhile, ESPN appears to be prioritizing other sports properties. The network recently announced it’s dropping Major League Baseball broadcast rights after 2025. Their focus is shifting to the WNBA, NBA, NCAA Football, and NFL.

BREAKING: ESPN and MLB are no longer national TV partners after this season. They "mutually agreed" to opt out of the final 3 years of their deal, per a letter obtained by The Athletic.https://t.co/Icc0vQldKF
— Evan Drellich (@EvanDrellich) February 20, 2025

Combat sports seem to be falling down their list of priorities. Furthermore, it has been reported that they are not satisfied with the low PPV buys. This realignment might make it easier for UFC to exit the relationship.

(Image Credit: Jasper Colt – Imagn Images)

Dana White

ESPN

UFC

UFC 313

Zaid Quraishi

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I am a dedicated MMA and Boxing content writer at The Playoffs. I was instantly hooked on MMA after watching the fight between Lyoto Machida vs. Gegard Mousasi back in 2014, and since then, i have been an avid writer with a deep love for the sport and its techniques, providing readers with a thorough understanding of the sport. My favorite aspect of working at The Playoffs is the creative freedom it provides. The diverse range of topics, from listicles and SEO to news articles, keeps me engaged and motivates me to continuously improve my skills! I aim to capture the excitement of the combat sports world in my writing, acting as the middleman between fighters and their die-hard fans. It is kind of like a referee, but with words!