Multi-year rights deal includes live events, original programming, and archive content

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BT Sport has agreed a multi-year exclusive rights deal renewal with UFC for the UK and Ireland. 

The agreement includes all live UFC events, including numbered events and Fight Nights, plus original programming from shows such as UFC Countdown and UFC Connected and its library of classic combat sports events.

The deal continues the broadcaster’s reltionhip with UFC, that began in 2013. It now continues despite the news that BT Sport and Warner Bros. Discovery are to form a joint venture in the UK, with the BT Sport channel to merge with Eurosport.

UFC had its first UK fight in three years in March, with UFC Fight Night: Volkov vs Aspinall recording a £3.56m gate to become the highest grossing single sporting event in O2 history.

UFC president Dana White said: “We were blown away by the awesome response from the fans at our London event earlier this year.

“The fans from the UK and Ireland love this sport and they have always been great to us. And now, our roster of talent from these countries is the strongest it’s ever been.

“We’re thrilled to continue our partnership with BT Sport to keep promoting these athletes, building stars, and broadcasting the best combat sports events on the planet to these incredible fans.”

Rachel Knight, sports rights director at BT Sport, added: “BT Sport is delighted to continue our successful partnership with UFC. We are entering a golden age for the sport in the UK and Ireland, with an incredibly exciting roster of local talent coming through.

“We look forward to working closely with these brilliant athletes and with UFC to continue to tell the stories and showcase the sport to our viewers in the years to come.”