Combat Sports Journalist Skeptical of Paramount's $7.7B UFC Deal

Luke Thomas questions how Paramount plans to profit from the lucrative media rights contract.

Apr. 16, 2026 at 8:57pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the chaotic energy and competitive nature of a UFC match, with sharp, overlapping planes of color representing the complex financial and political factors behind the Paramount-UFC media rights deal.A cubist interpretation of the high-stakes media rights deal between Paramount and the UFC.Las Vegas Today

Prominent combat sports journalist Luke Thomas expressed doubts about Paramount's seven-year, $7.7 billion deal to acquire the UFC's media rights. Thomas argued that the $1.1 billion annual fee Paramount agreed to pay seems far higher than the $800 million valuation the UFC's media rights were reportedly discussed at prior to Paramount's merger with Skydance. Thomas suggested the deal may have been politically motivated, given the UFC's close ties to former President Donald Trump.

Why it matters

The massive Paramount-UFC deal is one of the largest media rights contracts in the history of combat sports. Thomas' skepticism about Paramount's ability to recoup its investment raises questions about the financial viability of the agreement and the potential political factors that may have influenced it.

The details

According to Thomas, prior to Paramount's merger with Skydance, the UFC's media rights were reportedly valued at around $800 million. However, after the merger, Paramount agreed to pay $1.1 billion per year for a seven-year deal, totaling $7.7 billion. Thomas argued that Paramount is unlikely to make its money back on the deal, given the UFC's existing media partnerships and the company's close ties to former President Donald Trump, whom Thomas described as 'regime allied, regime friendly.'

  • The UFC signed the seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount in 2026.

The players

Luke Thomas

A prominent combat sports journalist who has expressed skepticism about Paramount's deal with the UFC.

Dana White

The president of the UFC, whom Thomas described as 'regime allied, regime friendly' due to the organization's close ties to former President Donald Trump.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States, who has appeared at UFC events and has a close relationship with the organization, according to Thomas.

Paramount

The media company that signed a seven-year, $7.7 billion deal to acquire the UFC's media rights.

Skydance

The media company that merged with Paramount, which Thomas suggested may have influenced the terms of the UFC deal.

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What they’re saying

“There is no way Paramount is going to make their money back on UFC. Not only they're not going to make their money back. They're gonna take a bath.”

— Luke Thomas, Combat Sports Journalist

“At some point they come back around and they realize there's great transactionalism that is possible here. Things that we want to be able to, he's going to facilitate, vice versa. We want someone who's in charge of the regulatory apparatus here that can cover us in a way that maybe someone else would not.”

— Luke Thomas, Combat Sports Journalist

What’s next

It remains to be seen whether Paramount will be able to recoup its investment in the UFC's media rights, or if the deal was influenced by political factors as Thomas suggested.

The takeaway

This deal highlights the high-stakes nature of media rights negotiations in the world of combat sports, as well as the potential for political considerations to play a role in these lucrative agreements.