With only weeks left before the official launch of its UFC partnership, Paramount has unveiled a new pricing structure for Paramount+ ahead of its first UFC broadcast on January 24—UFC 324. An interim title fight between Paddy Pimblett and Justin Gaethje will headline the first card of the year while the champion remains on break. Back in August, Dana White & Co. announced a seven-year $7.7 billion deal with Paramount and confirmed its move away from the traditional pay-per-view model.

At the time, many fans believed the shift would finally lower viewing costs. After all, under ESPN, audiences paid $79.99 per pay-per-view, and the new streaming agreement sparked hopes of a more affordable option. For a moment, those expectations held up. Paramount+ launched at just $7.99 per month, or $59.99 annually, as the lowest-cost way to watch UFC events. But that relief did not last. Just like most other services, Paramount+ has now introduced a price hike, catching fans off guard just a couple of weeks before UFC 324.

UFC fans face Paramount+ price increase before Gaethje vs. Pimblett

Paramount+ will implement its new pricing starting January 15. The Essential plan, which includes ads, will rise from $7.99 to $8.99 per month, while the ad-free Premium plan will increase from $12.99 to $13.99 per month. Annual subscriptions will see similar hikes: the Essential plan jumps from $59.99 to $89.99 per year, and the Premium plan goes from $119.99 to $139.99 per year. That’s a 12.5% monthly increase for Essential and 7.7% for Premium. Fans have one last chance to subscribe now and save up to $30.

This price adjustment is not unexpected. Paramount had already signaled in November that increases were coming. While higher costs may frustrate some fans, the service still offers significant value. Subscribers gain access to all UFC content, including numbered events, fight nights, and major cards from Las Vegas. They also get the complete UFC archive library, featuring fights and highlights from 2000 to 2025, along with “best of” compilations and select main cards.

The upcoming UFC–Paramount deal will deliver 43 events per year, including 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Nights, giving fans direct access to all content on a single platform. The recent Paramount+ price increase reflects more than just the UFC partnership. Paramount has also pursued multiple deals to compete with streaming giants like Netflix, spanning TV, film, and digital content, including a collaboration with the creators of Netflix’s flagship show, Stranger Things.

Ending traditional pay-per-view has stirred tension among fighters because there are no PPV points. Dana White, however, remained positive about fighter pay under the new deal. “Obviously, fighter pay will go up for this deal. Not just financially for the fighters, but the amount of exposure now that they’re going to get,” he told Pardon My Take.

Still, his comments did not clarify the situation with PPV points, which are central to the legacies of fighters like Conor McGregor and Sean O’Malley. Alexander Volkanovski recently shared his perspective on the issue.

Alexander Volkanovski acknowledges UFC conversations amid start of Paramount partnership

With the $79.99 pay-per-view model gone, UFC events may cost fans less, but fighters don’t necessarily benefit. Historically, PPV points have played a key role in a fighter’s earnings, rewarding top sellers and shaping legacies, as seen with UFC 229, which cemented the status of several of today’s stars.

Now, with the PPV system removed, UFC featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski has stepped into the conversation ahead of his UFC 325 fight. When senior journalist Ariel Helwani asked Volkanovski about UFC plans to offset PPV points, he said, “Not exactly sure just yet, to be honest. Yeah, I think we are in talks with them, so we’ll just see what we’ll see.”

Volkanovski did not provide further details, leaving some of the discussion to Ash Belcastro, but he is expected to resolve the matter with the UFC. Still, while he didn’t give a clear answer, the situation shows just how significant PPV points remain for fighters’ pay in the UFC.

At the same time, Volkanovski is gradually moving toward retirement, which affects him little. Meanwhile, younger stars like Paddy Pimblett and Ilia Topuria have yet to comment on the issue. Stay tuned for future updates.