Dana White indicated that the initial feedback suggests UFC’s inaugural event on Paramount+ achieved success.
Upon the expiration of the UFC’s broadcast contract with ESPN, the premier mixed martial arts organization finalized a substantial seven-year streaming agreement with Paramount, valued at $7.7 billion. This arrangement signified the conclusion of the pay-per-view era for the UFC. Last Saturday, UFC 324 marked the promotion’s first broadcast on Paramount+.
Addressing journalists during the UFC 324 post-fight press conference, White stated that the specific streaming figures were not yet available. Nevertheless, White had received encouraging preliminary insights.
“I just spoke with Ari [Emanuel], and Ari informed me that we will have the numbers by Monday or Tuesday,” White stated. “This far surpassed Paramount’s expectations. We know it performed exceptionally well; we just don’t have the exact count yet. They are reporting that it exceeded projections by double.”
UFC 324’s main event was an interim lightweight championship contest. Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett competed for the entire duration, and Gaethje secured the title with a unanimous decision victory. Gaethje has thus earned an opportunity for a title unification bout against the undisputed champion, Ilia Topuria, who is currently taking a break from professional MMA competition.
The event was originally slated to feature Amanda Nunes’ return. “The Lioness” was scheduled to challenge Kayla Harrison for the UFC Women’s Bantamweight Championship. However, plans were altered due to Harrison’s neck surgery.
As a result, former UFC Bantamweight Champion Sean O’Malley and Song Yadong stepped into the co-headlining position. O’Malley re-entered the win column by securing a unanimous decision. The fighter known as “Suga” is now seeking a rematch with the current UFC Bantamweight Champion, Petr Yan.
The fifth-ranked UFC heavyweight, Waldo Cortes-Acosta, entered the Octagon with fan favorite Derrick Lewis. “The Black Beast” did not experience victory, suffering a second-round TKO loss. Cortes-Acosta has now extended his winning streak to three consecutive fights.
What are your thoughts on the initial UFC event broadcast as part of the Paramount+ streaming agreement? Feel free to express your views in the comments area provided.
