The Worldwide Leader has tapped out with a significant chunk out of its MMA coverage.
ESPN, which had been the UFC’s broadcasting home for the past seven years before being outbid by Paramount in a groundbreaking $7.7 billion deal, let nearly all of its on-air talent contracts expire this year without renewal, sources tell The Post.
Mainstay MMA personalities such as Daniel Cormier, Chael Sonnen, Dominick Cruz and Jon Anik did not have their contracts renewed, despite their roles as analysts and as contributors to original content, signaling a major shift in the network’s coverage of the sport.
Jon Anik, Laura Sanko, and Daniel Cormier are seen on the broadcast during the UFC 321 event at Etihad Arena on October 25, 2025. Zuffa LLC
Cormier and Sonnen specifically hosted a popular ESPN series, “Good Guy/Bad Guy,” which was also not re-upped by the network.