Overview
- Daniel Cormier says multiple fighters have already reworked contracts for guaranteed pay and are earning more than under pay-per-view points.
- UFC COO Lawrence Epstein confirms deal-structure changes for top athletes and says fighter pay will increase under the new model.
- The $7.7 billion agreement with Paramount+/CBS ends traditional PPV and consolidates UFC events on a single subscription platform.
- UFC 324 on January 24, 2026 will launch the new era, with main cards beginning one hour earlier at 9:00 p.m. ET.
- Cormier attributes declining PPV viability to piracy and fragmented audiences and says the on-air product stays largely unchanged, though his ESPN show with Chael Sonnen has ended.