ESPN Hikes Prices Again as PFL's Deal Ticks Toward a 2026 Exit

ESPN is raising the price on its streaming tiers again, and the timing tells you exactly where combat sports sits on Disney's priority list. From Sept. 17, ESPN Unlimited climbs from $29.99 to $31.99 a month, with the annual plan bumping from $299.99 to $319.99. The cheaper ESPN Select tier moves from $12.99 to $13.99 monthly, or $139.99 for the year, up from $129.99.

None of this is a shock two weeks out from the NFL season, especially with ESPN having just folded NFL Network programming into the service. But for MMA fans, the real story is what's baked into that Unlimited package: the PFL is the last major MMA promotion left on ESPN, and its deal expires at the end of 2026.

The UFC already walked. After seven years on the Disney-owned network, that programming shifted to Paramount, leaving the PFL as ESPN's sole significant fight brand. That's a precarious spot for a promotion currently shopping for its next broadcast home.

A Promotion in Transition

The PFL merged with Jake Paul's Most Valuable Promotions and plans to launch a rebranded MVP MMA in 2027. There's still no word on where that product lands, and no public indication whether the PFL is chasing an ESPN extension or already eyeing the door for a fresh network in 2027. Paul, for his part, is 12-2 (7 KO) as a boxer and coming off a sixth-round knockout loss to Anthony Joshua.

Whoever ends up airing PFL cards inherits a promotion with a genuine headline draw. Cris Cyborg is riding a 10-fight winning streak after her latest championship night at PFL Tampa, and she now enters free agency — a marquee name up for grabs at the worst possible moment for the promotion's broadcast uncertainty.

The Tampa Backdrop

That Tampa card wasn't smooth. Cyborg's title defense against Ketlen Vieira was scrapped as a championship bout after Vieira, 16-6 (2 KO, 4 SUB), badly missed weight, turning it into a non-title affair. UFC welterweight champion Islam Makhachev, 29-1 with 13 submissions, was also in the building and stepped in to help one of his fighters through an injury.

The bigger picture is simpler than the drama: ESPN wants more money, the NFL is the reason, and the PFL is a tenant whose lease runs out in 16 months. If the promotion can't cut a new deal, subscribers paying that fresh $31.99 may soon have one fewer fight product to justify it.