It would be fitting for TKO to be the company that brings back professional boxing (in a big way).
Paramount and TKO have signed a “long-term” media rights agreement that brings Zuffa Boxing events to Paramount+ in the U.S., Canada, and Latin America. Zuffa Boxing is TKO’s new professional boxing league. Beginning in January 2026, Paramount will exclusively distribute (in those regions) 12 Zuffa events, “with plans to grow that number in subsequent years,” Monday’s announcement reads. There is the “potential” for certain events to be simulcast on CBS and other Paramount platforms, it continues.
Financial terms of the deal were not disclosed.
Entertainment conglomerate Sela is in on Zuffa via a partnership with TKO. UFC president and CEO Dana White and WWE president Nick Khan will oversee Zuffa alongside HE Turki Alalshikh, chairman of the general entertainment authority and president of the Saudi Boxing Federation, and Sela managing director and CEO Dr. Rakan Alharthy;
“I’m excited to bring great boxing events to a global audience,” White said in a statement. “There are millions of boxing fans that will now be able to watch competitive fights with up-and-coming boxers as well as the biggest stars in the sport. Paramount will be the home for UFC and boxing fans to watch the greatest fights in combat sports.”
“This partnership with Paramount reinforces our vision to redefine the way viewers consume boxing,” HE Turki Alalshikh added. “More fight fans will now have access to watch some of the most exciting boxers around. We have seen the proof that the appetite is there, this is the future for live boxing coverage and will ensure the sport continues to thrive.”
“Paramount has long been a leader in sports and sports storytelling, and this partnership marks a bold new chapter — not just for us, but for the future of boxing. It’s a partnership that advances several of our core priorities: delivering premium sports to fans, providing audiences with year-round marquee live events, and creating long-term value through a differentiated, must-watch portfolio of content,” Cindy Holland, chair of direct-to-consumer for Paramount, said. “By combining TKO and Zuffa Boxing’s world-class production and promotional capabilities with our subscribers’ passion for sports, we are confident we will deliver something truly special to boxing fans throughout the U.S., Canada, and Latin America for years to come.”
More to come.