UFC President Dana White addressed the media following UFC 332, where he provided significant insight into how the recent Paramount-WBD merger will impact the promotion’s future. The executive expressed clear enthusiasm about the expanded reach this corporate consolidation will bring to the UFC brand.
“Yeah, obviously this merger is huge for us and everybody else on the platform. Like 200 million more homes,” White stated when asked about the streaming service combination.
The merger between HBO Max and Paramount Plus represents a massive expansion of potential viewership for UFC content, effectively doubling the accessibility of the promotion’s programming.
White praised Paramount as a business partner, noting the remarkable success the UFC has experienced in just nine months of their partnership. “In the short amount of time I’ve been in business with these guys eight or nine months and they’re the greatest television partners I’ve ever had,” he said. The UFC president specifically highlighted the performance of Dana White’s Contender Series, which has become a ratings juggernaut on the platform.
“The Contender Series is bigger than it’s ever been this season,” White explained. “Every week we trend number one. The only week we didn’t trend number one was when Dolly Parton passed away.”
He noted that the show consistently attracts millions of viewers, providing UFC prospects with unprecedented exposure before they even enter the octagon officially.
The move away from the traditional pay-per-view model has already shown tangible results. When asked if he noticed a difference since making UFC content more accessible through streaming, White responded emphatically: “Absolutely.”
The increased viewership has strengthened the UFC’s pipeline for developing new talent while building deeper connections with fans who previously faced financial barriers to watching events.
White emphasized that Paramount has delivered impressive promotional support, putting major matches on network television like CBS to showcase emerging stars. Looking ahead, White expressed optimism about future opportunities with Paramount under the expanded merger.
