The Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has landed a five-year contract with ESPN, earning the mixed martial arts promotion a staggering total of $300 million per year. Now UFC President Dana White has come forward to discuss the future of the promotion.
Speaking to MMA Junkie, White offered his thoughts on the recent ESPN deal. The UFC President also explained that the longstanding reality television show The Ultimate Fighter may have seen its last season.
“That’s what the idiots are always going to do. ‘Is it good, is it bad?’ Our last deal (with FOX) was $116 million a year. This one is $300 million. If you can’t figure out that that’s good, get outta here. I’ve been in Maine blowing my brains out for three days celebrating. That’s how good it is.”
“That’s exactly right: 42 shows. I have the ability to make some original content for those guys too, and it’s going to be awesome. ESPN wouldn’t cover us; now we’re on ESPN. Anybody who doesn’t think this is a win, just shut up. Stop covering the sport if you think this isn’t a win.”
“Fight Pass will be the destination where the entire library is, and you can watch whatever fight you want too or whatever other content we have on there. So that’ll be the same. And this ESPN deal is U.S. (only). So, Fight Pass is the rest of the world.”
“We don’t know yet. We’re coming up on the latest season of ‘The Ultimate Fighter.’ We don’t know. It might be the last one. 13 years, ‘The Ultimate Fighter’ has gone. It’s incredible.”
