TNT Sports CEO Says Network Is Interested In UFC

Last year, AEW signed a multi-year media rights extension with Warner Bros. Discovery, keeping the promotion on TBS, TNT, and Max in the United States for the immediate future. Meanwhile, UFC's media rights are currently being negotiated, and WBD is among the companies interested in landing the MMA giant. According to TNT Sports CEO Luis Silberwasser, speaking in an interview with "The Varsity," UFC is very much on WBD's radar.

"Combat sports is an area that we don't have," Silberwasser said. "AEW is not combat sports — it's sort of a hybrid between entertainment and sports. ... Combat sports is something like UFC, which is a fantastic property. And yeah, it is something that has perked our interest."

If the two companies come to an agreement, WBD would have working relationships with both AEW and TKO, WWE's parent company. However, the CEO shared his belief that UFC is still negotiating with ESPN, its current partner. Additionally, he maintained that WBD will continue to avoid spending too much on media properties, and with UFC's next deal potentially set to reach $1 billion per year, that could put WBD out of the running.

AEW's current agreement with WBD is estimated to be worth $150 million a year, with the deal running through at least 2028. As part of that, "AEW Dynamite" and "AEW Collision" are simulcast on traditional cable as well as streaming on Max. Additionally, AEW's pay-per-views are set to become available on Max at a discounted rate for subscribers, but the platform has yet to implement the required features.

As for UFC, the company's ESPN deal expires at the end of 2025. Netflix is currently seen as the top contender to court the property should negotiations with the Disney sports brand fall through.