Jon Anik will remain the voice of the UFC for years to come.

Paramount and the UFC announced on Wednesday that Anik has signed a long-term extension to continue as the lead play-by-play commentator for UFC broadcasts on Paramount+. His new deal begins with UFC 334 at Madison Square Garden in New York on November 14, headlined by Ciryl Gane‘s first defense of the undisputed heavyweight title against Josh Hokit.

Anik has been with the UFC for 15 years. A former ESPN anchor and ESPN Radio host, he was hired in 2011, when the UFC launched its partnership with FOX, and called cards across FOX, FX, FUEL TV, FS1 and FS2. He took over the lead seat in 2017 after Mike Goldberg’s departure and stayed in it through the ESPN years and into the Paramount era.

“I am beyond grateful for these last 15 years with the UFC,” Anik said in a statement. “I’ve had the chance to learn from and work with so many talented people. There is no live production team in all of television that I would rather go to bat for, and I will never take this seat for granted.”

Anik also thanked the fighters. “Eternal thanks to the MMA athletes, who fight and train so hard and allow so many of us fans to work in the sport we love. I am so excited to be a part of what this monster organization does moving forward,” he said.

The UFC also pointed to Anik’s work outside the booth, from shoulder programming to the fighter features and promotional pieces that build up its cards, and framed the new deal as a way to keep its broadcast steady through the Paramount era.

Jon Anik’s Extension Is the Right Call for the UFC

The UFC began its seven-year, $7.7 billion deal with Paramount in 2026, moving away from the pay-per-view model and putting its events on Paramount+, with select cards simulcast on CBS. Anik called the first event of the new era, UFC 324 on January 24, 2026, alongside Joe Rogan and Daniel Cormier. CBS Sports’ Kate Scott joined the broadcast as the studio desk host.

Anikl was on the call for UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026, on the South Lawn of the White House, where Gane stopped Alex Pereira in the second round to win the interim heavyweight title, later elevated to the undisputed championship when Tom Aspinall vacated, and Justin Gaethje stopped Ilia Topuria to unify the lightweight title.

UFC 334 also features the return of Amanda Nunes, who comes out of retirement to challenge Kayla Harrison for the women’s bantamweight championship in the co-main event.

Keeping Anik was an easy decision. The UFC’s move to Paramount brought a new platform, a new studio team and a new way for fans to watch, and keeping a familiar voice in the booth gave longtime viewers something constant through that change. Fans tuning in on Paramount+ still hear the same play-by-play they have heard on the biggest nights for nearly a decade.

Anik’s preparation is a big part of why he has lasted. He knows the fighters, their records and their stories, and he can deliver that information without slowing down the action. Paired with Rogan and Cormier, he gives the UFC one of the most recognizable broadcast teams in sports.

The timing also makes sense. Anik’s previous contract was reported to run through October 2026, and he said publicly in 2024 that he hoped the UFC would extend it. Getting the new deal done takes the question off the table early in a seven-year partnership. He has already carried the job through the FOX, ESPN and Paramount deals, and the Paramount+ broadcast now keeps the same lead voice it started with.