One of the biggest stars of his era, UFC Hall of Famer Georges St-Pierre knows just how important the pay-per-view model was to his earning potential financially during his illustrious career. And with the impending UFC-Paramount era signaling the death of pay-per-view, he isn’t so sure it’s a good thing for the fighters.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt could be good for the UFC as a promoter, terrible for the fighters,” St-Pierre told Covers.<\/p>\n
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The UFC and Paramount on Monday announced a massive seven-year, $7.7 billion broadcast deal<\/a> that begins in 2026. It gives Paramount exclusive rights to the UFC’s 43 annual events, including 13 “marquee” numbered events, which will be available to anyone with a Paramount+ subscription, effectively ending the pay-per-view model that’s been integral to the UFC’s business since its inception in 1993.<\/p>\n While the change has been viewed as a positive for fans who no longer have to pay $79.99 for a UFC pay-per-view, there’s still no clarity on what it means for fighters<\/a>, especially champions and select big names who’ve been used to receiving a cut of pay-per-view sales as part their contracts.<\/p>\n https:\/\/omny.fm\/shows\/spinning-back-clique\/ufc-signs-with-paramount-dricus-du-plessis-vs-khamzat-chimaev-more-sbc embed:<\/p>\n During his UFC welterweight championship reign from 2008 to 2013, St-Pierre largely carried the promotion on his back as its top draw, with UFC president Dana White in 2011 declaring him “by far the biggest pay-per-view star in mixed martial arts.” Speaking from experience, St-Pierre simply wonders how top fighters, who otherwise would’ve earned pay-per-view points, will be able to do business with the UFC moving forward.<\/p>\n Advertisement<\/p>\n “When I was competing, I was able to have a great argument to negotiate on my contract,\u201d St-Pierre said. \u201cI could tell the UFC, \u2018Hey, if you want me to do all the promotion, I want to become a partner. I want a piece of the pie to negotiate a part of the pay-per-view revenue. Because if I\u2019m doing all the promotion, I\u2019m helping you, but you need to help me. You need to make me a partner.\u2019 So it might be a bad thing for the fighters in a way that they have less leverage. …<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s what I think. I think it\u2019s going to take off some leverage for the big names to have an argument to negotiate more money.\u201d<\/p>\n Fellow UFC Hall of Famer Chris Weidman predicts there will be “bigger guaranteed payouts” for UFC champions.”<\/a> Whether that ultimately happens remains to be seen and even then, fighters might not know if it truly offsets what they could’ve earned through direct cuts of pay-per-view sales.<\/p>\n