02:53 PM EST, 01/10/2025 (MT Newswires) -- TKO Group-owned (TKO) Ultimate Fighting Championship is aiming to secure more than $1 billion a year from its next media rights deal with Walt Disney's ( DIS ) ESPN, Bloomberg reported Friday.

UFC and ESPN will enter an exclusive negotiation period later this month as their current deal expires at the end of this year, the report said, citing people with knowledge of the matter.

The amount UFC is seeking from a new deal is more than double what ESPN currently pays, according to the report.

TKO, ESPN and Disney did not immediately reply to MT Newswires' requests for comment.

(Market Chatter news is derived from conversations with market professionals globally. This information is believed to be from reliable sources but may include rumor and speculation. Accuracy is not guaranteed.)

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