UFC & FOX Reach Deal, UFC Leaving SpikeTV?

Sports Business Daily reports the UFC and Fox have agreed to a multi-year deal that will bring the UFC to network television for the first time in its 18-year history.

It’s believed the deal is for 7 or 8 years and the regular UFC programming that currently airs on Spike TV or Versus would move to the FX Network in January. The Fox owned Fuel channel would also receive some UFC programming.

The report says the UFC will have about four live specials on Fox in 2012.

The UFC’s current TV contract with Spike TV ends at the end of 2011. It began in 2005 when the UFC’s reality series The Ultimate Fighter debuted to much success. The move to cable turned around UFC’s business and helped usher in the most successful period in the company’s history.

The UFC has not released a statement about the report as of Tuesday afternoon.

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