LOS ANGELES, March 10, 2026, 06:43 PDT
Netflix Inc. on Monday slotted former UFC heavyweight champ Francis Ngannou into its May 16 lineup, adding firepower to the streamer’s first live MMA broadcast. The card, already headlined by Ronda Rousey’s return against Gina Carano, now features Ngannou taking on Philipe Lins at Los Angeles’ Intuit Dome. Subscribers can watch globally, no extra charge.
This shift is significant: Netflix wants to ramp up live programming, aiming to keep viewers hooked and capture more ad dollars. Back in January, the company reported to investors it had surpassed 325 million paid subscribers, projected ad revenue to nearly double—hitting around $3 billion by 2026—and said it would roll out additional live events both in the U.S. and internationally.
The May fight night isn’t just a one-off—Netflix is looking to see if these splashy, irregular events can actually become a steady revenue stream. This comes after what both Netflix and Most Valuable Promotions called a record-breaking stretch for boxing on the platform. Back in February, Gabe Spitzer, Netflix’s vice president of sports, said he wanted the company’s debut MMA card to be “truly legendary.” MVP – Most Valuable Promotions
Ngannou’s involvement brings more than just comeback hype to the card. The ex-champ, making his MMA return after a boxing stint and a brief run with the Professional Fighters League, is set to face Philipe Lins—a 2018 PFL heavyweight tournament winner—in a sanctioned five-rounder. MVP co-founders Jake Paul and Nakisa Bidarian called the bolstered roster “one of the most significant nights in modern MMA.” MVP – Most Valuable Promotions
Netflix is putting its slate together as competitors hunt for their own foothold among sports fans. This season, Apple TV grabbed U.S. Formula One rights from Disney’s ESPN, though Netflix still lands the Canadian Grand Prix in May. Apple’s Eddy Cue credited Netflix with a “pivotal role” in expanding F1’s reach through “Drive to Survive.” The streamer also secured exclusive U.S. rights for the 2027 and 2031 Women’s World Cups, marking its first full tournament deal. Reuters
For some analysts, picking and choosing is exactly the strategy. After Netflix aired the Tyson fight, CFRA’s Kenneth Leon said the company was “flexing its streaming capability” by turning to live events that can “draw from a global subscriber base.” Reuters
There’s a wrinkle. Netflix touted that 60 million households tuned in for Paul-Tyson, with the peak hitting 65 million viewers. Still, more than 90,000 users ran into issues just as the action was heating up. Neal Pilson, who heads Pilson Communications, warned that single-event stunts like this might just be fleeting novelties and “don’t change the industry.” Reuters
Netflix shares slipped 0.7% to $98.32 in the latest quote. Investors seemed to see the Ngannou addition as just another live-events experiment, with little read-through for the core business.
