Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)

News Summary:

On June 26, 2026, the UFC announced its Freedom 250 event attracted an estimated 34 million total global viewers. This figure doubles Paramount+'s previously reported 17 million total viewers across the U.S. and Latin America, adding audiences from countries including Australia, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand, and the U.K., marking it as one of the most-watched events in UFC history. Earlier that day, boxing promoter Eddie Hearn spoke about his rivalry with UFC President Dana White, noting "a little bit of fun in it" and his interest in understanding the MMA business as his company considers pivoting into the space. Previously, on June 25, featherweight fighter Jean Silva stated he would be next in line for a UFC Featherweight Title shot against Alexander Volkanovski, despite ongoing rumors of a potential fight between Volkanovski and Movsar Evloev later this year. Also on June 25, ScottsMiracle-Gro, a landscaping company, pledged a $1 million donation to the National Park Service to repair the White House South Lawn following the UFC event; company COO Nate Baxter had previously visited the White House to plan the project. This follows earlier criticism on June 25 from Eddie Hearn regarding UFC fighter pay, specifically mentioning former bantamweight champion Sean O’Malley's reported $600,000 earnings for his June 14 second-round knockout at UFC Freedom 250.