Paramount Skydance will kick off their billion dollar rights deal with UFC on January 24th and a familiar name will help anchor coverage in Kate Scott.
Scott is no stranger to combat sports, serving as a boxing host for Netflix, Showtime, DAZN, and Fox Sports throughout her career. But where she has starred with Paramount and CBS Sports is in hosting the company’s acclaimed UEFA Champions League coverage alongside Micah Richards, Jamie Carragher, and Thierry Henry. Much like Ernie Johnson at TNT leading Inside the NBA, which Champions League Today is often compared to, Scott’s mix of personality, humor, and style has led to her becoming one of the best sports hosts in the industry today.
According to a CBS Sports announcement, Scott will be joined in the studio by Michael Bisping, Dominick Cruz and Chris Weidman live on site at the T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas for coverage of UFC 324, headlined by Justin Gaethje squaring off with Paddy Pimblett. It marks the first event on Paramount+ for the mixed martial arts league’s new era and Scott’s first appearance on a UFC telecast. UFC mainstays Jon Anik, Joe Rogan, and Daniel Cormier will call the fight action with Megan Olivi serving as a reporter and Din Thomas providing coaching insights.
The $7.7 billion deal between the UFC and Paramount Skydance is a huge statement of intent for the media giant. Under the new leadership of David Ellison, the company has been ultra aggressive in pursuing sports rights. They have also tried to execute a hostile takeover of Warner Bros. Discovery. Of course, they’re making bigger waves on the news and politics side with the controversial “MAGA-coded” shift under Bari Weiss at CBS News.
But at least when it comes to presenting UFC, Paramount is offering a stable presentation of new and old voices that should be welcomed by fight fans with Kate Scott leading the way.
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