No Deal Between ESPN and UFC Still: But what about televising live fights? Skipper said it’s not likely to happen any time soon. ESPN already has a fairly full plate of sports programming, Skipper said, meaning ESPN would only want the absolute best UFC fights. And it’s hard to see how ESPN would benefit from taking its best fights off pay-per-view, where fights can generate upwards of $25 million in revenue. Skipper also didn’t sound particularly interested in having MMA outside the UFC, saying, "We’ve talked to other MMA leagues, but UFC is by far the best." Ultimately, Skipper says he liked what he saw at UFC 100 but that MMA fans who thought Skipper’s presence at UFC 100 signaled a future deal between ESPN and the UFC shouldn’t get too excited. "Nothing is imminent," Skipper said. "I came away with a good impression, but don’t get your hopes up."