The UFC is returning to Rogers Sportsnet and TVA Sports in Canada following an announcement by the broadcaster on Wednesday night.
The UFC stated it had entered long-term broadcast agreements with Rogers Sportsnet and TVA Sports for the English and French programming rights to the promotion in Canada.
It’s a return for the UFC, which was previously broadcast on the networks from 2011 through 2014 before the rights moved to TSN (and Fight Network).
The deal will see Sportsnet carry UFC Fight Night events and televised pay-per-view prelims across its platforms and live streaming on Sportsnet+ along with additional UFC programming including Dana White’s Contender Series.
UFC Fight Pass will continue to host eight exclusive Fight Night cards along with the early prelim cards for its pay-per-view events.
UFC CEO Dana White:
I’m so excited we’re coming back to Sportsnet and TVA Sports. When you think back to the GSP days, Sportsnet and TVA Sports helped build this business in Canada. We love Canadian fans and we’re happy to be home.
When the deal takes effect in 2024, Rogers Sportsnet will be carrying both UFC and WWE programming in Canada with WWE’s ten-year deal with Sportsnet set to expire next year.
Rogers Sportsnet signed a ten-year broadcast agreement with WWE in 2014 and broadcasts weekly programming including Raw, NXT, Friday Night SmackDown, and Main Event.
The UFC returns to Canada with UFC 297 on January 20 at Scotiabank Arena in Toronto with a UFC Middleweight Championship fight between Sean Strickland and Dricus du Plessis in the main event.
