UFC signs multi-year deal making ESPN on Disney+ its home in the Philippines from UFC 333

The UFC has a new home in the Philippines. The UFC, Disney+ and ESPN announced a multi-year exclusive media rights agreement on Monday, October 19, that makes ESPN on Disney+ the promotion's broadcaster in the country. According to the UFC, coverage starts this Saturday, October 24, with UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev at Etihad Arena in Abu Dhabi, and ESPN on Disney+ will show all UFC events live from then on.

The announcement did not include financial terms or the exact length of the deal.

What Filipino fans get

The UFC's statement and a Disney+ launch release published by The Manila Times list the following:

• Every UFC event live, both numbered cards and Fight Nights.
• Original programming including UFC Countdown, UFC Connected, The Ultimate Fighter and Road to UFC, the Asia-Pacific prospect tournament that leads to UFC contracts.
• A library of classic fights plus shows such as UFC Main Event, UFC Fight Flashback and UFC Reloaded, according to the Disney+ release.
• Access through the Disney+ app and Disney+ distribution partners, including Globe and Cignal. ESPN on Disney+ is included in existing Disney+ subscriptions, The Manila Times reported.

The first card is a strong one. Alexander Volkanovski defends the featherweight title against unbeaten Movsar Evloev in the main event, and bantamweight champion Petr Yan faces Merab Dvalishvili in their trilogy fight in the co-main event. In the Philippines the UFC 333 prelims begin at 10 p.m. local time on Saturday and the main card at 2 a.m. on Sunday, the UFC said.

What the UFC and ESPN said

"UFC is excited to partner with Disney+ in the Philippines, which boasts one of the most passionate and engaged combat sports fanbases in the world," said Kevin Chang, the UFC's senior vice president and head of Asia. "This partnership marks an important milestone as our fans will now be able to enjoy UFC on the leading provider of sports and entertainment in the country."

Kylie Watson-Wheeler, head of ESPN Asia Pacific, called the Philippines "an incredibly important sports market in Asia Pacific, with a deep-rooted passion for combat sports." She said bringing the UFC to ESPN on Disney+ strengthens "ESPN's position as a leading sports destination across the region."

The UFC sits alongside the NBA on the new ESPN on Disney+ hub in the Philippines. Formula E, NCAA events and Australia's NBL are also part of the lineup, according to the Disney+ release.

Why it matters

The UFC's main media deal is now with Paramount in the United States, worth $7.7 billion over seven years. Esquire Philippines wrote on October 12 that the deal made events harder to watch for Filipino fans because Paramount+ is not available in the Philippines. Many fans turned to illegal streams, the outlet said.

Esquire also reported that UFC cards had already started to appear on Disney+ before the official announcement, starting with the Brendan Allen vs Christian Leroy Duncan Fight Night earlier this month. The UFC's statement names UFC 333 as the start of its live coverage under the new agreement.

The Philippines has changed UFC broadcasters before. In September 2021, Tap Digital Media Ventures took over the rights after Fox stopped its operations in the region, Dugout Philippines reported at the time. Tap showed events on its Premier Sports channel and the Tap Go app.

What's next

• UFC 333: Volkanovski vs Evloev, Saturday, October 24, Etihad Arena, Abu Dhabi. It is the first card under the new deal.
• All later UFC events will be shown live on ESPN on Disney+ in the Philippines, according to the UFC.
• Financial terms and the length of the deal have not been disclosed.