Paramount Global Tumbles 3.71% on $530M Volume as UFC Pact Pushes It to 187th in Trading Activity

Paramount Global (PSKY) fell 3.71% on August 11, 2025, with a trading volume of $530 million, ranking 187th in market activity. The decline followed the announcement of a landmark $7.7 billion, seven-year agreement to become the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of all UFC events, including 13 marquee events and 30 Fight Nights, starting in 2026. The deal replaces the previous pay-per-view model with a $12.99-per-month Paramount+ subscription, offering all UFC content without additional fees.

Under the agreement, UFC events will stream live on Paramount+ and simulcast on CBS for major fights. This shift aims to boost accessibility and affordability for fans while enhancing Paramount’s subscriber base. UFC CEO Dana White praised the partnership as a “huge win,” emphasizing broader exposure for athletes and fans. Paramount’s CEO David Ellison highlighted the strategic value of securing all UFC rights, including international rights, to strengthen the company’s live sports offerings after its recent $8.4 billion merger with Skydance Media.

The deal marks a significant departure from UFC’s previous $1.5 billion ESPN contract, which expired in 2025. ESPN’s pay-per-view model faced criticism for technical issues and high costs, with UFC events often priced at $100 per card. The new arrangement with Paramount is expected to drive subscriber growth for Paramount+, which currently has 78 million global users. UFC parent company TKO Group’s executives noted that eliminating paywalls would reduce piracy and attract a wider audience, including casual viewers through CBS’s broadcast reach.

The backtest results indicate that a strategy of purchasing the top 500 stocks by daily trading volume and holding them for one day generated a 166.71% return from 2022 to the present, outperforming the benchmark by 137.53%. This underscores the role of liquidity concentration in short-term performance, particularly in volatile markets, where high-volume stocks like Newmont and McKesson demonstrated amplified price movements driven by liquidity and company-specific news.