After buying Whole Foods and getting into the healthcare industry, the next logical step in Amazon's global conquest was clearly making a streaming deal with the UFC. Fans of the mixed-martial arts competition circuit can now buy fights on a one-off basis through Amazon’s Prime Video platform, according to Deadline.
U.S. customers can, beginning Wednesday, pre-order UFC 222: Cyborg vs. Kunitskaya, which will take place on Saturday in Las Vegas. The cost of the pay-per-view fight is $64.99 without a Prime membership.
Customers can purchase other future UFC fights made available for pre-order. Or if they don’t want to make the investment before the fight, the events can be purchased up to four hours after they start. Those who purchase the fights will be able to rewind up to an hou and can replay the fights 24 hours after purchase.
UFC events like UFC 222’s match-up between Cyborg and Yana Kunitskaya happen nearly every month and have previously been the domain of cable services. Amazon is not charging more or less than cable providers for the PPV fights, according to Fortune, but it is allowing cord cutters and people who have tossed their satellites away an easier way to get in on the action.
This isn’t Amazon’s first foray into cable sports territory, even though it is its first venture into live PPV events. In 2017, the company added Thursday Night Football, and 2 million people reportedly logged in to watch the first game on the streaming service. Amazon also offers auto racing, beach volleyball, and tennis, plus original series set in the worlds of college football, soccer’s Premier League, and rugby.
You can pre-order Saturday’s fight here.
