At a glance
- ESPN's MMA section, part of Disney
- The UFC moved to Paramount+ in early 2026 ($7.7 billion over seven years)
- Brett Okamoto stays at ESPN as a reporter
Overview
ESPN MMA is the MMA section of ESPN's website, the Disney-owned sports network. It publishes news, rankings, the event schedule, analysis and features.
The picture changed in 2026. The UFC, an ESPN partner since 2019, left for Paramount+ in early 2026 under a $7.7 billion, seven-year deal that includes broadcasts on CBS. On January 11, 2026, ESPN parted ways with many of its MMA on-air people, including Daniel Cormier, Jon Anik, Laura Sanko, Megan Olivi, Dominick Cruz, Chael Sonnen, Anthony Smith and Paul Felder. Jon Anik continued his work with Paramount.
The list also included Karyn Bryant, Ian Parker and Alan Jouban. Joe Rogan now works under the Paramount umbrella. The first UFC event under the new deal was UFC 324.
What you'll find
Brett Okamoto stays at ESPN as a reporter and is now the face of the network's MMA coverage. The section keeps publishing news on the UFC and other promotions, divisional rankings and the schedule of upcoming cards.
The site also runs analysis and features on major fights and the sport's big names. Schedule and results pages let you follow events, including those no longer broadcast on ESPN.
On the broadcast side, the PFL's contract with ESPN runs out at the end of 2026. ESPN has also shifted resources toward WWE, whose premium live events come to the network in 2026.
The divisional rankings and schedule remain the most practical pages for a fan who wants to know who fights whom and when, whichever network carries the event.
Why follow
ESPN MMA is still a mainstream entry point to MMA, on the site of a major American sports network. Brett Okamoto's reporting keeps it part of the sport's news cycle.
The section is also useful for understanding how the MMA media landscape shifted in 2026: the UFC's exit, smaller teams and the open question of the PFL's rights.
The PFL's next broadcast home will shape how much live MMA stays on ESPN after 2026.
MMA Official's take
We recommend ESPN MMA to fans who already follow American sports on ESPN and want their MMA news there too. For complete daily coverage, pair it with a specialist site like MMA Fighting or MMA Junkie.
Start with Brett Okamoto's stories, then check the divisional rankings to get up to speed on each weight class.