Some international UFC fans will not see the benefits of the promotion’s big change coming in 2026.
In August, Dana White revealed the details of a new $7.7 billion broadcast deal that will see UFC move to Paramount+ in the United States.
The most noticeable change for US fans is that all events, including pay-per-views, will be included with their subscription at no extra cost.
While some have questioned how this might affect White’s business model, there is no denying it has become more affordable for American fans to follow the sport.
However, that change applies only to American viewers and many fans from around the world are not happy about it.
Canadian fan starts petition to get UFC off pay-per-view
With anticipation mounting for the Paramount+ debut, discussions surrounding UFC 324 are already gaining traction, including conversation points like Justin Gaethje’s rumored injury.
But the build-up has also been a harsh reminder for some fans that not everyone will benefit from the changes. One Canadian supporter has taken matters into his own hands by launching a petition.
Lamar Niles is calling on the promotion, TKO Group Holdings, and Sportsnet – who began their multi-year partnership with UFC in 2024 – to address what he feels is an unfair situation for Canadian viewers.
Niles says he was looking forward to Paramount+ until he discovered Canadian fans would not see any changes from the current PPV model.
Posting on Change.org, he wrote: “Little did I know that Canadian fans would be specifically excluded from this new era,” he wrote. “While fans in the United States, Brazil, Australia, and throughout Latin America are now enjoying every UFC event included in their standard subscription, Canadians have been left behind, trapped in the exact same expensive, outdated pay-per-view system that the rest of the world has moved away from.”
Niles also pointed out that TKO had made similar changes in Canada before, noting that WWE content is now available on Netflix rather than traditional pay-per-view.
According to his statement, many fans subscribed to annual Paramount+ memberships after receiving a ‘promise’ that the streaming service would host the UFC.
“We are being bamboozled by regional blackouts and deceptive global marketing. This is a blatant cash-grab at the expense of loyal Canadian fans, and change needs to happen now. We refuse to be treated as a secondary market while the rest of the world moves forward,” Niles stated.
The petition reached 137 signatures at last count and appears unlikely to influence any immediate change for Canadian viewers in 2026.
Canada is not the only place left out of the UFC’s new subscription model
The UFC’s move away from the pay-per-view model has not reached every market just yet, but that could change down the line. Paramount might step in and pick up international broadcasting rights once current regional agreements wrap up.
Right now, Canada is not alone in feeling left out. There are a few places still tied to the old system, even as the promotion move in a new direction.
In the UK, fans are not paying extra for every numbered card. The time difference plays a big role there. However, UFC 324 will require an additional fee.
With Paddy Pimblett fighting to bring home an interim lightweight title for England, it makes sense why this particular card would come with an added cost.
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