Ultimate Fighting Championship
Mixed martial arts promotion owned by TKO Group Holdings
- Entries
- 8
- On the record
- 4
- Stories
- 1
- Latest entry
- Aug 11, 2025
The record
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is owned by TKO Group Holdings, the New York Stock Exchange company that also owns WWE and is led by executive chair and CEO Ariel Emanuel. TKO reports the UFC as its own segment: revenue was $1.502 billion in 2025, up from $1.406 billion in 2024, with media rights, production and content the largest line at $907.7 million.
Its biggest court case is Le v. Zuffa, an antitrust class action former fighters filed in 2014. They alleged the UFC used anticompetitive tactics to gain and keep monopsony power over elite fighters' services and underpaid them; the UFC says rival promotions show the field is open. After Judge Richard Franklin Boulware II rejected a $335 million deal in July 2024, TKO agreed in September 2024 to pay $375 million, the amount it later booked as a 2024 legal settlement cost.
A second antitrust suit, led by former fighter Kajan Johnson, was at an early stage in September 2024 with a motion to dismiss pending. On the business side, TKO and Paramount announced on August 11, 2025, a seven-year U.S. media rights deal starting in 2026, averaging $1.1 billion a year, that puts 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Nights a year on Paramount+ and moves those events off pay-per-view.
Roles and honours on the record
- as of 2025 Mixed martial arts promotion owned by TKO Group Holdings (NYSE: TKO) source
- 2014-2025 Defendant (as Zuffa), Le v. Zuffa antitrust class action, U.S. District Court for the District of Nevada source
- from 2026 Events carried exclusively in the U.S. by Paramount under a seven-year media rights agreement source
Every entry, newest first
- Ruled
Judge Richard Boulware gave final approval to a $375M settlement in Le v. Zuffa, per MMA Fighting. Dana White to meet Trump Monday on press secretary job offer
- Ruled
Judge Richard Boulware denied preliminary approval of a $335M UFC antitrust settlement, per MMA Fighting. Dana White to meet Trump Monday on press secretary job offer
Stories in this file
The record, entry by entry
- 2014 Filed Former fighters filed Le v. Zuffa, alleging the UFC paid them less than they were owed and used a scheme to acquire and maintain monopsony power over elite fighter services. The UFC points to rival promotions as evidence of an equal playing field. ESPN report
- 2024 Official TKO's results for 2024 include a $375.0 million cost for the legal settlement of the UFC antitrust lawsuit. TKO Group Holdings, fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings release
- 2024-09 Filed A second antitrust suit against Zuffa, led by former fighter Kajan Johnson, was in its early stages with a motion to dismiss pending, ESPN reported. ESPN report
- 2024-09-26 Reported TKO agreed to pay $375 million in a revised Le v. Zuffa settlement, after Judge Boulware rejected a $335 million proposal in July. The UFC said the revised deal addressed the judge's concerns. ESPN report
- 2025 Official UFC revenue was $1.502 billion for 2025, up from $1.406 billion in 2024, with $907.7 million from media rights, production and content. TKO Group Holdings, fourth-quarter and full-year 2025 earnings release
- 2025-08-11 Official Paramount and TKO announced a seven-year agreement starting in 2026, averaging $1.1 billion a year, making Paramount the exclusive U.S. home of UFC events, with 13 numbered events and 30 Fight Nights on Paramount+ and the events leaving pay-per-view. TKO Group Holdings, Form 8-K exhibit 99.1