Report: ESPN Takes UFC Package From Fox In Five-Year Deal

ESPN reportedly paying $1.5 billion in taking UFC rights from Fox.

ESPN is taking control of the television rights for the Ultimate Fighting Championship from Fox Sports, according to multiple media reports.

The network had already secured the UFC's digital rights, annoucing a deal last month. That deal is worth $150 million per year and slated to start Jan. 1.

Variety reports the new deal will allow ESPN to show 30 events per year and the network is paying UFC $1.5 billion over the life of the five–year deal.

Endeavor, which was previously known as WME-IMG, bought UFC for over $4 billion in July 2016.

ESPN is set to show 10 full events and 12 pay-per-view events on its linear starting, with five more events going to ESPN+. But UFC will maintain the rights to 12 PPV events per year.