Throughout the years, there have been defining moments in the UFC’s history—whether it’s UFC 1, which introduced MMA with no weight classes, minimal rules, and a tournament format, or 2019, when the UFC’s deal with ESPN began. Now, as UFC heads into 2026, another defining moment for the promotion awaits, as it prepares to start broadcasting on Paramount+, officially bringing an end to the pay-per-view model. 

While the no pay-per-view model is a welcome change for the fans, that won’t be the only one—or will it? That’s the question former UFC heavyweight champion turned analyst Daniel Cormier set out to answer in a recent podcast appearance with his teammate Josh Thomson on Weighing In. During their conversation, he revealed that his popular ESPN show with Chael Sonnen has ended. 

UFC will remain the same, if not better, says Daniel Cormier

“CBS, Paramount changes ‘Good Guy, Bad Guy.’ Chael and I had a show on ESPN. That’s now done,” Cormier revealed when asked about the changes to the promotion with the Paramount deal. The show, featuring the two Hall of Famers, often broke down the hottest topics in MMA, previewed upcoming UFC fight cards, analyzed storylines, fighter drama, and more.

While that podcast is gone, Cormier claims everything else will remain the same as before. “I think one of the things that the UFC can promise is that it’s gonna look the same, if not better,” Cormier added. “The commentary team doesn’t change, the broadcast team doesn’t change, it’s the same. It’ll be the UFC as it is.”

And for good reason. The UFC didn’t rise solely on the backs of its fighters—though they carried much of the load. Its meticulous production, in-depth fight breakdowns, and the people behind the scenes all played crucial roles in transforming the promotion into the global behemoth it is today. Paramount doesn’t want to mess with the already well-oiled machine. 

“Paramount wanted the UFC,” Cormier told Thomson during the podcast. “They want the fighters, they want the whole product. We’re part of the product, right? So for me, not much changes. It’s just bigger and better opportunities.” Besides, there is one more change, which Cormier forgot to mention. 

The $7.7 billion deal with Paramount will see events start an hour earlier than before. Previously, events began at 10:00 p.m. ET/7:00 p.m. PT. In 2026, events will begin at 9:00 p.m. ET/6:00 p.m. PT. While these changes will affect Daniel Cormier, there’s a massive change that will affect the fighters in the UFC. 

Will the fighter pay go up in the Paramount era?

While the deal is expected to bring changes to fighter compensation, it’s not without its caveats. With the pay-per-view model being phased out and all numbered events included in a standard Paramount+ subscription, fighters who previously earned PPV points stand to lose a major revenue stream.

UFC COO Lawrence Epstein has addressed those concerns. “On the fighter pay question, there’s going to be some changes to the structure of our deals, in particular with our premium athletes that have a percentage of their compensation based on pay-per-view sales,” Epstein said. 

Epstein reiterated UFC CEO Dana White’s stance that fighters will earn more under the new deal. “There’s going to be an increase in fighter pay,” he said, while noting the raises will remain “consistent with the margins that we’ve maintained over the last several years.”

Overall, it sounds like fans may not see much of a difference other than the broadcaster and a lack of PPV. But internally, fighters will feel the shift. Only time will tell whether the change will be good or bad. What do you make of these changes?