BT has signed a new “multi-year” deal which will see it remain the exclusive UK home of UFC.
The broadcaster has aired the sport since 2013 but this Summer lost the rights to Eleven Sport and was due to screen its final UFC event later this month.
However this week The Telegraph revealed that UFC had axed its deal with Eleven Sports after the streaming service failed to secure carriage deals with Sky, BT or Virgin Media, limiting the potential audience to its own roughly 50,000 subscribers.
The paper also reported that UFC had approached BT to discuss agreeing a new deal.
Today the broadcaster confirmed it would show all live UFC numbered and Fight Night events “into 2019 and beyond,” as well as over 100 hours of non-live programming per year.
The first UFC event in 2019 will see a Super Fight between Olympic gold medalist and flyweight champion Henry Cejudo and bantamweight champion TJ Dillashaw on January 19.
UFC will then make its highly anticipated return to London on March 16 at The O2 arena.
“BT Sport and UFC have been partners since our launch in 2013, and we’re delighted this will now continue,” said Andy Haworth, BT Consumer’s managing director of strategy and content.
“We’ve worked hard to offer fans high-quality, fresh and innovative UFC coverage across all of our channels, and in particular on social media, which fans are responding really well to.
“This is great news for our viewers, who can continue to enjoy UFC with BT Sport.”
David Shaw, UFC’s international and content senior vice president, said: “BT Sport have proven to be an engaged, committed and passionate partner.
“We have worked closely together to grow the sport, brand and athletes in the UK and Ireland over the past five years.
“Our fans have made it clear how much they enjoy BT’s coverage of UFC and we are delighted to continue our partnership with them.”
