Paramount Global has expanded its exclusive rights to Zuffa Boxing to include Australia, ahead of the promotion’s 2026 season, the company announced Tuesday. The deal builds on a multi-year agreement secured last September for the United States, Canada and Latin America.
Adrenalen Sport, a newly launched Australian sports broadcast platform for commercial venues, will distribute Zuffa Boxing events to pubs, clubs, bars, casinos, and other hospitality businesses across the country. The partnership begins with Z04, featuring Australian boxer Jai Opetaia against American Brandon Glanton on March 9.
The agreement was facilitated through Paramount Australia and New Zealand’s commercial subscription service. Mark Sturdy, founder and chief executive of Adrenalen, stated that the partnership will drive foot traffic to venues, offering them a “competitive edge” by capturing the audience that follows both UFC and Zuffa Boxing. “Early adopters will capture the UFC crossover audience while competitors scramble to catch up,” Sturdy said.
Zuffa Boxing plans to run 12 boxing cards throughout 2026, with intentions to increase the number of events in subsequent years. The promotion debuted on September 13, 2024, with a high-profile bout between Terence ‘Bud’ Crawford and Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez, which drew a global audience of 41 million viewers on Netflix.
Netflix described the Crawford-Alvarez fight as the “most-viewed men’s championship boxing match” of the 21st century, with an average minute audience of 36.6 million. Peak concurrent livestreams reached 24 million in the US alone, comparable to recent NFL season-opening games. Joe Hand Promotions estimated an additional 500,000 viewers watched in commercial establishments.
Zuffa Boxing, a collaboration between TKO Group Holdings and Saudi Arabian events company Sela, is spearheaded by Dana White, chairman of UFC. The UFC recently secured a $7.7 billion rights deal with Paramount. In addition to the Paramount deal, Zuffa Boxing has a rights agreement with Begin, a United Arab Emirates-based streaming platform, for exclusive coverage in Pakistan and non-exclusive coverage in Bangladesh for the 2026 and 2027 seasons.
Adrenalen Sport’s lineup also includes rights to distribute soccer content, such as the A-Leagues, AFC Women’s Asian Cup, men’s Asian Cup qualifiers, Australian national team matches, Italy’s Coppa Italia, and the Scottish Cup. Adrenalen Group, launched in December, comprises three divisions: Adrenalen Sport, Adrenalen Vision, and Adrenalen Media, offering live sports distribution, in-venue LED screen technology, and advertising opportunities.
