Georges St-Pierre isn’t a big fan of the UFC’s new broadcasting rights deal.
The UFC shocked the MMA world when it agreed to a $7.7 billion mega deal with Paramount to reveal its next broadcasting home. After years with ESPN, the UFC opted not to re-sign with the self-described ‘Worldwide Leader in Sports’ in favor of a new broadcasting destination.
The partnership kicks off in January, and all fights can be streamed live on Paramount+ for a subscription price. The UFC’s long-tenured pay-per-view model will be moved off to the shelves in a massive win for consumers.
But one of the UFC’s greatest fighters believes this will be financially catastrophic for the promotion’s roster.
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Georges St-Pierre labels Paramount deal as ‘terrible’ for UFC fighters
During a recent interview with Covers, Georges St-Pierre gave a less-than-glowing assessment of the UFC’s new broadcast partner.
“It could be good for the UFC as a promoter, but terrible for the fighters because when I was competing, I was able to have a great argument to negotiate on my contract,” St-Pierre opined.
“I could tell the UFC, ‘Hey, if you want me to do all of the promotion, I want to become a business partner. I want a piece of the pie to negotiate a part of the pay-per-view revenue. Because if I’m doing all the promotion, I’m helping you but you need to help me. You need to make me a partner.’ So it might be a bad thing for the fighters in a way that they have less leverage.
“I think it’s going to take off some leverage for the big names to have an argument to negotiate more money.”
Fighter pay continues to be a hot-button topic in modern Mixed Martial Arts. After the announcement, Conor McGregor took to social media to declare himself as the undisputed ‘king’ of UFC pay-per-views.
St-Pierre is one of the UFC’s most beloved stars and he continues to have a strong relationship with UFC CEO Dana White and the promotional brass. But that hasn’t stopped him from criticizing the promotion’s dealings when he disagrees with certain stances the UFC takes.
A fellow former middleweight champion doesn’t agree with St-Pierre’s assessment.
Former UFC champ Chris Weidman disagrees with Georges St-Pierre’s assessment
Former UFC middleweight champion Chris Weidman believes the promotion’s partnership with Paramount will lead to more guaranteed payouts for fighters. Weidman cited the UFC’s declining pay-per-view numbers as a potential boost for the promotion’s new rights deal.
White says the promotion will host four ‘major’ events in 2026 on Paramount+, with fight fans able to watch all events for a single monthly price. One of the UFC’s top analysts, Joe Rogan, hopes that the UFC will retain a lesser relationship with ESPN moving forward.
In the meantime, the UFC will host its final pay-per-view cards in the coming months, featuring Tom Aspinall‘s long-awaited return and the Magomed Ankalaev vs. Alex Pereira rematch.