UFC Freedom 250 claims 34 million global viewers as Netflix MMA rivalry heats up

UFC Freedom 250 attracted 34 million viewers worldwide when combining audiences across the United States, Latin America, Australia, China, India, South Korea, New Zealand and the United Kingdom, the promotion announced in an updated breakdown of its international figures.

The UFC had already disclosed a U.S. average of seven million viewers during the broadcast, with a combined peak of 17 million across the U.S. and Latin America. Adding the remaining markets in the new release doubles that figure to the 34 million total the organisation is now citing.

The updated numbers arrive in the context of a pointed public dispute with Netflix’s rival MMA offering. The Netflix card headlined by Ronda Rousey vs. Gina Carano reportedly peaked at 9.3 million active viewers in the U.S. — a figure that surpasses the UFC’s domestic average. Both Rousey and promoter Jake Paul were quick to highlight the gap, using it to challenge the UFC’s standing as the dominant force in the sport. The UFC’s decision to publish a broader, multi-market tally appears to be a direct response to that criticism.

Notably absent from the current data are Spain and France, both of which had fighters in the main event slots. Local law in those countries delays the public release of broadcast figures, meaning the 34 million figure could yet rise once that data becomes available.

The numbers also incorporate viewership accumulated in the days following the live event, not just the night itself. The promotion’s streaming partner claims Freedom 250 set a record for the most-watched live event replay on its platform, though the full scope of that comparison — covering how many live events have previously aired on the service — was not specified.