UFC Fans Face New Streaming Cost After Paramount+ HBO Max Bundle

UFC fans will soon pay a different price to watch fights as Paramount+ prepares to bundle with HBO Max before the two streaming services merge completely.

Skydance CEO David Ellison announced the plan in a letter to investors Monday, per MMA Fighting, following the company's $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery. The bundle will launch in early 2027, ahead of a full integration of the two platforms.

What the Paramount+ HBO Max Bundle Means for UFC Subscribers

Ellison told investors the combined package will offer "both world-class streaming services at an even greater value," though no pricing was disclosed. Paramount+ currently carries every UFC event exclusively and costs subscribers $8.99 monthly with ads or $13.99 without. HBO Max runs $10.99 for its ad-supported tier and up to $22.99 for the premium plan with 4K video and four-device access. The two services claim 203 million aggregate subscribers.

TKO president Mark Shapiro confirmed talks are already underway to expand UFC programming across Warner Bros. networks including HBO and TNT. "We're in conversation as we speak with Skydance about the best way to maximize audience across the Skydance platform," he said on a recent TKO earnings call, according to the MMA Fighting report. Shapiro worked previously with Skydance Sports head David Berson at ESPN and described the relationship as "super creative."

Shapiro said the goal is to spread UFC content across HBO, TNT, Paramount+, and CBS to grow viewership and engagement. The bundle is expected to roll out in the first quarter of 2027, with more details on the streaming roadmap coming in the following months.

Photo by Tim Morgan on Unsplash

Original reporting:

• mmafighting.com — Paramount+ planning combo package with HBO Max in early 2027 before fully merging services | MMA Fighting