ESPN is reportedly in advanced negotiations to acquire UFC Fight Pass, the Ultimate Fighting Championship's on-demand streaming service, according to multiple sources, plus the WWE Vault. The discussions center on integrating Fight Pass's extensive archive and select live programming into ESPN's direct-to-consumer platform ESPN+. Simultaneously, ESPN is exploring rights to WWE's Vault channel, a curated repository of classic content.
ESPN's interest in UFC Fight Pass comes as the network accelerates its shift toward digital distribution. Since launching ESPN+ in 2018, ESPN has steadily expanded its streaming footprint, adding combat sports content to its portfolio. Under the current agreement with UFC, ESPN holds exclusive U.S. streaming and linear rights through the end of 2025, including pay-per-view events on ESPN+ and 42 live UFC fight nights annually. Next, the UFC will be on Paramount+ as its home.
Acquiring Fight Pass would grant ESPN on-demand access to the UFC's full fight library - more than 3,000 bouts dating back to the promotion's early days - and permanent live rights to marquee events, bolstering its content pipeline.
Negotiations are reportedly advanced but not finalized, with key sticking points including rights fees, revenue sharing, and the treatment of Fight Pass's existing subscriber base. Analysts anticipate that folding Fight Pass into ESPN's DTC app could drive significant subscriber growth, given the platform's established audience and marketing reach.
Blake Avignon Explained:
"BREAKING: ESPN is in active talks to acquire UFC Fight Pass, multiple sources confirm. The plan is to fold the archive and select live content into ESPN's new DTC app. Discussions are advanced but not finalized, with ESPN also eyeing the WWE Vault."
The network is also eyeing the WWE Vault, which features curated highlights, classic matches, and behind-the-scenes documentaries. WWE and ESPN recently announced a multiyear partnership for pay-per-view events and select live specials, valued at $325 million per year beginning in 2026. In that deal, ESPN secured streaming rights to major events such as WrestleMania and SummerSlam, while expressing interest in WWE's archival library once existing contracts allow. Acquiring both the UFC and WWE archives would position ESPN's DTC service as the premier hub for combat sports enthusiasts.
These moves occur against the backdrop of a fiercely competitive media-rights landscape. With Paramount+ set to become UFC's exclusive U.S. broadcast home in 2026 under a $7.7 billion, seven-year deal, ESPN is seeking to extend its MMA footprint before that transition. For WWE, the shift from Peacock to ESPN's new platform marks a strategic realignment, tapping ESPN's sports-centric brand to reach a broader audience.
If ESPN acquires UFC Fight Pass, it is unlikely the service will disappear internationally. Instead, Fight Pass is expected to be fully integrated into ESPN's direct-to-consumer app within the U.S. market, while remaining a standalone platform abroad, similar to how WWE Network content was folded into Peacock in the U.S. but continues independently in other regions.
ESPN could also explore licensing Fight Pass rights regionally or internationally to maximize reach and revenue outside the U.S. This approach allows ESPN to strengthen its domestic offering without disrupting Fight Pass's ongoing international subscription base, which has been growing steadily thanks to localized versions and targeted marketing in multiple countries.
Should the negotiations succeed, ESPN's DTC app will offer an unprecedented depth of combat sports content. Subscribers could access UFC's entire fight history, live fight cards, pay-per-view events, and WWE's vault - all under one subscription.