UFC 324 marked a turning point for the Ultimate Fighting Championship as it set new benchmarks in streaming viewership, captivating millions of combat sports fans worldwide.
This numbered event wasn’t just another fight night; it was a major moment in UFC history, putting a spotlight on how the sport is now reaching its biggest audience in years.
A New Era: UFC’s Shift to Paramount+
For the first time, UFC delivered a numbered event exclusively via Paramount+ under its newly struck media rights agreement.
This move replaced the traditional pay-per-view model, allowing subscribers in the United States and Latin America to watch the entire fight card from early prelims to the main event without extra charges beyond their existing streaming subscription.
This change reflected a substantial investment by the streaming platform, showcasing how major combat sports content is adapting to modern fan preferences.
The result was an immediate impact on viewership figures, something that few expected could happen so swiftly.
Massive Viewership: Records Broken Across Platforms
According to early reports, UFC 324 drew record numbers for Paramount+, making it the largest exclusive live event the service has ever streamed.
The event reached an average of around 4.96 million viewers during the main card, with nearly 6 million concurrent streams at its peak.
In total, the broadcast hit over 7 million global households across streaming and linear platforms combined.
These figures mark a rare milestone in UFC history, not just for streaming but for overall audience engagement, highlighting the immense appeal of the sport’s top fights when made more accessible.
Main Event Drama: Gaethje vs. Pimblett
Headlining UFC 324 was the highly anticipated interim lightweight title fight between Justin Gaethje and Paddy Pimblett.
The matchup delivered one of the most memorable performances in recent UFC history, as both fighters pushed each other through five intense rounds.
Judges ultimately scored the bout in favor of Gaethje, awarding him a unanimous decision victory and the interim championship.
This fight, filled with action and dramatic momentum shifts, was cited by many fans and analysts as one of the key attractions driving the event’s high viewership numbers.
The emotional intensity of the main event reinforced the UFC’s narrative that milestone events can thrive outside traditional PPV.
Supporting Fights Add Value to the Card
Beyond the main event, UFC 324 featured several bouts that delivered finishes and showcased rising talent.
Heavyweight contender Waldo Cortes-Acosta scored a major second-round TKO over Derrick Lewis, ending the veteran’s run with a standout victory.
This outcome underlined the rising depth of UFC’s heavyweight division and engaged fans throughout the evening.
Preliminary fights also provided highlights across weight classes, offering compelling action that kept viewers engaged from early prelims all the way through the main card.
Social Media and Fan Engagement
UFC 324’s impact wasn’t limited to live streams; it also dominated social media. The event was among the most discussed sporting occasions on platforms like X (formerly Twitter), with millions of interactions around fight highlights, knockout clips, and post-fight reactions.
This buzz helped drive additional interest and likely contributed to the record viewership tallies.
With fans discussing key moments across social platforms for hours after the event, the promotion proved that a strong social presence can amplify a fight card’s reach beyond traditional broadcast numbers.
What the Numbers Mean for UFC’s Future
UFC’s partnership with Paramount+ represents a strategic pivot toward broader accessibility. By removing traditional pay-per-view costs for subscribers, UFC opened the door to a more expansive audience, one that might have previously avoided PPV due to cost or availability barriers.
The record numbers achieved at UFC 324 suggest that the sport’s fan base is ready for this new format.
While some viewers voiced frustrations about advertising frequency during the broadcast, this feedback is part of the growing pains in shifting from PPV to streaming.
UFC leadership has acknowledged fan concerns and indicated that adjustments could be made as the partnership evolves.
If subsequent events continue to perform at this level, UFC may well establish streaming as a reliable foundation for expanding its global audience, increasing revenue through subscriptions and advertising, and positioning itself for long-term growth in the digital age.
Looking Ahead: UFC 325 and Beyond
With the success of UFC 324 as a benchmark, all eyes are now on UFC 325, scheduled to feature featherweight champion Alexander Volkanovski defending his title in a rematch with Diego Lopes.
Early expectations indicate that viewership could rise even further if the trend continues.
Ultimately, UFC 324 didn’t just deliver exciting fights; it confirmed that the sport can thrive under a new broadcast model that prioritizes accessibility and audience growth.
Whether future events can match or exceed these numbers will be a key narrative for sports media watchers and UFC fans alike.