ESPN is reportedly in superior negotiations to win UFC Battle Move, the final word Combating Championship on-demand streaming service, based on a number of sources and WWE Vault. The dialogue integrates the intensive archives of Battle Move and chooses stay programming to ESPN+, ESPN’s shopper platform. On the identical time, ESPN is exploring the rights to WWE’s Vault Channel, a curated repository of basic content material.
ESPN about to purchase UFC Battle Move and WWE Vault
ESPN’s curiosity in UFC Battle Move is as a result of the community accelerates its shift in direction of digital supply. Since launching ESPN+ in 2018, ESPN has steadily expanded its streaming footprint and has added fight sports activities content material to its portfolio. Beneath the present settlement with the UFC, ESPN retains unique US streaming and linear rights till the tip of 2025, together with a pay-per-view occasion for ESPN+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Subsequent, the UFC will develop into Paramount+ as its residence.
Getting Battle Move gives you ESPN on-demand entry to the UFC’s full battle library (over 3,000 matches courting again to the early days of the promotion) and everlasting stay rights to marquee occasions, enhancing the content material pipeline.
Negotiations have reportedly progressed however not finalized, however there are key fastened factors reminiscent of rights charges, income sharing and the dealing with of present subscriber-based Battle Move. Analysts anticipate the battle to fold into ESPN’s DTC app might considerably drive subscriber progress given the platform’s established viewers and advertising and marketing scope.
Blake Avignon defined:
“Breaking: ESPN is in lively discussions to win UFC battle go. A number of sources have confirmed: Archive will likely be folded and stay content material will likely be chosen as ESPN’s new DTC app. The dialogue is refined, however ESPN can be specializing in WWE Vault.”
The community can be being attentive to WWE Vault, that includes curated highlights, basic matches and behind-the-scenes documentaries. WWE and ESPN lately introduced a multi-year partnership between Pay-per-view occasions value $325 million per yr beginning in 2026 and Choose Dwell Specials. Beneath that settlement, ESPN secured streaming rights to main occasions reminiscent of WrestleMania and Summerslam, permitting present agreements to have curiosity in WWE’s archive libraries. Getting each the UFC and WWE Archives, ESPN’s DTC service is positioned as the perfect hub for fight sports activities fanatics.
These strikes come up towards the backdrop of a panorama of fiercely aggressive media rights. Paramount+ is ready to develop into the unique UFC US broadcast residence underneath a $7.7 billion deal in 2026, with ESPN trying to prolong its MMA footprint previous to that transition. For WWE, the transfer from the peacock to ESPN’s new platform marks a strategic reorganization, tapping ESPN’s sports-centric manufacturers to succeed in extra audiences.
Worldwide
If ESPN obtains a UFC battle go, the service is unlikely to vanish internationally. As an alternative, whereas WWE community content material is folded into US peacocks, however stays an impartial platform abroad, just like the way it continues to independently elsewhere, Battle Move is anticipated to be totally built-in into ESPN’s shopper apps throughout the US market.
This strategy permits ESPN to discover licenses that go licenses domestically or internationally, and to maximise attain and income exterior the US, that is permitting ESPN to boost its home providing with out disrupting the continuing worldwide subscription base of Battle Move, which is steadily rising due to localized variations and goal advertising and marketing in a number of nations.
If negotiations are profitable, ESPN’s DTC app affords unprecedented depth of fight sports activities content material. Subscribers can have entry to your complete UFC fight historical past, stay battle playing cards, pay-per-view occasions, and WWE vaults.
