Jake Paul is not as enthused as most fight fans by the groundbreaking announcement of the UFC’s new ten-figure broadcast deal.
Dana White announced in a statement this afternoon that Paramount and CBS would be the UFC’s next broadcast partner come 2026. Perhaps the most noteworthy part of the announcement was that the promotion would be getting rid of the ‘pay-per-view’ model for the first time in their history.
Fans were quick to rejoice in the news that all fights would be available for a subscription that can go as low as $7.99. But Paul isn’t so sure, and noted that they still have a large number of PPV events still to run, which will cost fans a hefty premium.
Jake Paul hits out at ‘hubris’ of UFC’s new $7.7billion announcement
While most fight fans were excited at the prospect of leaving the pay-per-view model behind, Jake Paul made his opinion clear in a post on X.
The social media star has been part of a number of ground-breaking events that have challenged pay-per-view, although he also heavily relies on it in his fight career.
His boxing debut against AnEsonGib in 2020 likely would have landed on PPV before the launch of DAZN, but ended up being free as part of the monthly subscription. And much more notably, he headlined the first ever boxing event on Netflix last year when he defeated Mike Tyson by decision.
The hubris from these guys is unreal if ur their partner. 1st they talk about getting into boxing with no risk & charging fees on fees on fees from their partners who are putting up the money.
Now they are saying PPV is dead when they have a PPV this weekend with Du Plessis… pic.twitter.com/1jqYaZu0UQ
— Jake Paul (@jakepaul) August 11, 2025
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“The hubris from these guys is unreal if you’re their partner,” Paul wrote in response particularly to TKO President and Chief Operating Officer Mark Shapiro’s quotes to CNBC. “1st they talk about getting into boxing with no risk and charging fees on fees on fees from their partners who are putting up the money.
“Now they are saying PPV is dead when they have a PPV this weekend with [Dricus] Du Plessis and another one with [Alex] Pereira and another one with [Tom] Aspinall… & another 1 with…”
He followed that post with a message that read: “Every fighter in the UFC now has a clear picture of what the revenue is…no more PPV excuses. Get your worth boys and girls.”
The comments from Shapiro that Paul was replying to were as follows: “The pay-per-view model is a thing of the past. What’s on pay-per-view anymore? Boxing? Movies on DirecTV? It’s an outdated, antiquated model.
“So, it was paramount to us – forgive the pun – where it’s one-stop shopping, especially for our younger fans in flyover states.
“When they find out, ‘Wait, if I just sign up for Paramount+ for $12.99 a month, I’m going to automatically get UFC’s numbered fights and the rest of the portfolio? That’s a message we want to amplify.”
Dana White announced end of PPV model in statement earlier today
Seemingly out of the blue this morning, the New York Times and CNBC reported that the UFC had inked a new $7.7billion deal with Paramount and CBS. The deal will start in 2026 and runs for seven years through to 2033.
White took to social media to confirm the reports with a statement, which was quickly followed by a press release. “This historic deal with Paramount and CBS is incredible for UFC fans and our athletes,” White said.
Photo by Chris Unger/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images
“For the first time ever, fans in the US will have access to all UFC content without a Pay Per-View model, making it more affordable and accessible to view the greatest fights on a massive platform.
“This deal puts UFC amongst the biggest sports in the world. The exposure provided by the Paramount and CBS networks under this new structure is a huge win for our athletes and anyone who watches and loves this sport.”