Quick Definition
UFC Fight Pass is the UFC‘s own subscription streaming service, built around a deep archive of past fights along with live events from grappling, kickboxing, and smaller MMA promotions worldwide. It is separate from the main live UFC broadcast, which in the United States now streams on Paramount+.
What is UFC Fight Pass?
UFC Fight Pass is a digital streaming service run directly by the UFC and owned by its parent company, TKO Group Holdings. It launched on December 28, 2013, in the United States, Canada, Australia, and New Zealand, then expanded to more than 200 countries and territories the following year, according to the service’s Wikipedia entry and UFC’s own materials.
The name causes a lot of confusion. Many fans assume Fight Pass carries every live UFC card, and it does not. Its purpose is different: it holds the sport’s largest historical fight library, and streams live combat sports that sit outside the main UFC broadcast, including regional MMA and submission grappling.
Think of it as the UFC’s archive and side-catalog, not its main live channel. Someone who wants to rewatch a classic bout from 2005, or follow a small European promotion, turns to Fight Pass, while a fan who only cares about tonight’s numbered UFC event looks elsewhere.
How UFC Fight Pass works
Fight Pass is a subscription, billed monthly or annually. In the United States, it costs $9.99 per month or $95.99 per year, with regional pricing elsewhere, and new subscribers get a 7-day free trial, per Surprise Sports and the UFC. The annual plan works out cheaper than paying month to month.
Everything streams on demand, 24 hours a day, alongside scheduled live cards. Subscribers can watch on web browsers, phones, tablets and streaming hardware such as Roku, Apple TV, Amazon Fire TV and Chromecast, as well as game consoles and smart TVs, according to UFC’s FAQ.
One quirk trips people up: what someone can watch shifts depending on where they live. Content availability varies by country because of local television broadcast rights, so a title streaming freely in one region may be blocked in another.
The content library and live events
Fight Pass breaks down into a few content layers. The table below shows what sits on the service.
| Content layer | What it includes |
|---|---|
| Historical archive | Every UFC event from UFC 1 in 1993 onward, plus the acquired PRIDE, Strikeforce and WEC libraries. This is the deepest MMA back-catalog available legally. |
| Feeder shows | Dana White’s Contender Series and Road to UFC, where prospects fight for UFC contracts. |
| Regional and global MMA | Live cards from promotions the UFC distributes, such as LFA in the US, Cage Warriors in the UK, and KSW in Poland. |
| Grappling and kickboxing | Submission grappling from UFC BJJ, the Fight Pass Invitational and the Eddie Bravo Invitational, alongside kickboxing events. |
| Original programming | Documentary and studio series such as Fightlore and Year of the Fighter. |
Across these layers, Fight Pass streams a stated 200-plus live events a year from around 25 combat sports organizations, according to the UFC app listing. For historical viewers, it remains the only legal home for pre-2019 UFC events and the full PRIDE catalog.
Where UFC Fight Pass fits alongside Paramount+
This is where 2026 changed everything. Until the end of 2025, live UFC events in the US streamed on ESPN+, with big numbered cards sold as $79.99 pay-per-views. That era is over.
On January 1, 2026, Paramount+ became the exclusive US home of every live UFC numbered event and Fight Night, under a seven-year deal worth $7.7 billion, or about $1.1 billion a year, as reported by Variety and CBS Sports. The pay-per-view model ended in the US. All 43 UFC events a year, the 13 numbered cards plus 30 Fight Nights, now come with a standard Paramount+ subscription, and select events also simulcast on CBS.
That reshaped what Fight Pass is for. The two services do different jobs:
| UFC Fight Pass | Paramount+ (US) | |
|---|---|---|
| Live UFC numbered events | No | Yes, all included |
| Live UFC Fight Nights | No (early prelims moving to Paramount+) | Yes |
| Historical fight archive | Yes, the full library | Migrating over from Fight Pass |
| Regional MMA, grappling, kickboxing | Yes | No |
| US price | $9.99/mo or $95.99/yr | $8.99/mo (Essential) or $13.99/mo (Premium) |
Paramount+ pricing reflects a January 15, 2026 increase, with the ad-supported Essential plan at $8.99 a month or $89.99 a year, per Paramount’s own guide. Because Paramount+ now carries the current UFC calendar, most casual fans no longer need Fight Pass, as CableTV.com notes. It stays worthwhile mainly for people who follow the archive or the smaller combat sports promotions.
Common misconceptions about UFC Fight Pass
The biggest myth is that Fight Pass shows every UFC fight live. It never has. Live UFC main cards ran through ESPN+ before 2026 and through Paramount+ now, while Fight Pass handled prelims, archives, and non-UFC promotions.
A second mix-up is treating Fight Pass and Paramount+ as the same product. They are separate subscriptions with separate content, even though the historical UFC archive is gradually moving onto Paramount+.
One more myth worth clearing up: subscribing to Fight Pass does not let a US fan watch this weekend’s numbered UFC event. For that, a Paramount+ login is what a viewer needs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is UFC Fight Pass the same as Paramount+?
No. They are separate subscriptions. Paramount+ carries live UFC events in the US, while Fight Pass holds the historical archive and live cards from grappling, kickboxing, and regional MMA promotions.
Can fans watch live UFC numbered events on Fight Pass?
No. Live numbered UFC cards stream on Paramount+ in the US as of 2026, so Fight Pass no longer carries the main live UFC broadcast.
How much does UFC Fight Pass cost?
In the US, it is $9.99 per month or $95.99 per year, with a 7-day free trial for new subscribers and regional pricing in other markets.
Is UFC Fight Pass available outside the US?
Yes. It streams in more than 200 countries and territories, though the exact content available depends on local broadcast rights.
Is UFC Fight Pass still worth having in 2026?
Only for fans who want the fight archive or live combat sports beyond the main UFC calendar. For current UFC events in the US, a Paramount+ subscription covers everything.
Sources
- UFC. “UFC Fight Pass FAQ.” ufc.com. Accessed August 2026.
https://www.ufc.com/faq-ufctv-ufcfightpass - Wikipedia. “UFC Fight Pass.” Accessed August 2026.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/UFC_Fight_Pass - Variety. “Paramount Nabs UFC Rights in Major $7.7 Billion Deal.” August 2025.
https://variety.com/2025/tv/news/paramount-ufc-deal-events-espn-2026-1236486487/ - CBS Sports. “UFC-Paramount Announce Landmark Media Rights Agreement.” August 2025.
https://www.cbssports.com/mma/news/ufc-paramount-announce-landmark-media-rights-agreement-in-exclusive-partnership-nixing-ppv-model - Yahoo Sports. “UFC Fight Cards Will Be Cheaper in 2026.” December 2025.
https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/ufc-fight-cards-cheaper-2026-000427970.html - Paramount+. “How Much Does It Cost To Watch UFC?” 2026.
https://www.paramountplus.com/sneak-peak/how-much-does-it-cost-to-watch-ufc/ - CableTV.com. “How To Watch UFC on Paramount+.” August 2026.
https://www.cabletv.com/paramount-plus/ufc - Surprise Sports. “How Much is the UFC Fight Pass?” 2026.
https://surprisesports.com/mma/how-much-is-the-ufc-fight-pass/
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