BT Sport retains UFC rights

BT Sport has renewed its rights deal with the UFC in the UK.

The multi-year partnership will see the pair’s relationship extend beyond a decade, with BT first picking up the rights in 2013. 

The agreement will see BT Sport carry all live UFC events, including numbered events and Fight Nights, along with hundreds of hours of original programming from shows such as UFC Countdown and UFC Connected.

Rachel Knight, Sports Rights Director, BT Sport said, “BT Sport is delighted to continue our successful partnership with UFC. We are entering a golden age for the sport in the UK and Ireland, with an incredibly exciting roster of local talent coming through.

“We look forward to working closely with these brilliant athletes and with UFC to continue to tell the stories and showcase the sport to our viewers in the years to come.”  

UFC President Dana White, said: “We were blown away by the awesome response from the fans at our London event earlier this year. The fans from the UK and Ireland love this sport and they have always been great to us. And now, our roster of talent from these countries is the strongest it’s ever been.

“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with BT Sport to keep promoting these athletes, building stars, and broadcasting the best combat sports events on the planet to these incredible fans.”

The UFC makes its return to the UK this summer with a blockbuster card at London’s O2 Arena on July 23.

BT Sport meanwhile is currently undergoing a merger with Warner Bros. Discovery-owned Eurosport to create a sports broadcasting giant with the capacity to take on Sky Sports. The UK’s Competition and Markets Authority (CMA) has launched a review into the merger which will conclude by the end of July.