In a big move for fight fans and cord cutters, Netflix just supercharged next month’s Jake Paul vs. Gervonta “Tank” Davis card by adding a historic trilogy fight between two MMA legends.
Anderson “The Spider” Silva and Chris “The All-American” Weidman will meet outside of the Octagon, and for the first time, in the ring, in a six-round, 205-lb heavyweight match. The showdown featuring the former UFC Middleweight champions will open the Jake vs. Tank main card on Friday, November 14, at Miami’s Kaseya Center, streaming live globally and included for Netflix subscribers.
The opening bout isn’t a throwaway undercard matchup; it’s the third chapter in one of MMA’s most notorious rivalries. Weidman ended Silva’s record-setting UFC title reign a decade ago, the pair traded blows in the cage twice, and now they’ll settle the score in boxing.
“I am super excited to embark on another battle against Chris,” Anderson Silva said while promoting the match. “I’m the original spider killer,” Weidman reminded the world.
The card is being promoted by Jake Paul’s Most Valuable Promotions (MVP), which shattered records last year with Paul vs. Tyson. The Netflix global event clocked in with 108 million live viewers, making it the most-streamed sporting event ever.
Netflix Packs A Punch With Live Sports
Netflix’s entry into the live sports arena has been dramatic and, at times, rocky. The streamer’s very public streaming problems during the earlier Jake Paul-Mike Tyson broadcast raised legitimate concerns about its live-event delivery.
During the historic event, thousands of users reported issues of buffering and poor video quality. There was even a class action lawsuit filed against the streaming giant due to the issue. However, since then, Netflix has doubled down on live events and production. Its live slate now includes weekly WWE shows and PLEs, high-profile boxing cards, and NFL Christmas games.
Some of the streamer’s past and upcoming live events include:
- The final fight in the Katie Taylor-Amanda Serrano trilogy, which was the first all-women’s professional card at Madison Square Garden.
- A Canelo Álvarez vs. Terrence Crawford superfight, which showed the platform can attract established commentators to return to the booth for marquee bouts.
- Beyond boxing, Netflix has continued with NFL Christmas Day matchups, and has scored a home run with MLB event coverage (Home Run Derby/Opening Night plans) in front of its global streaming audience.
Netflix is shaping itself into an events-first sports destination with its “eventize” strategy, instead of chasing traditional rights packages. The streamer is reportedly interested in adding a major college football rivalry game to its lineup, as it views these single events can continue to draw in new eyeballs.
Other media giants are taking note, with some reportedly “reluctant to share” talent with Netflix for their upcoming NFL slate. However, the eventize strategy seems to be working, even for the platform’s on-demand content. Analysis from McLuck shows that younger viewers are more likely to follow a sport after watching a documentary on it, in what has been dubbed the “Netflix Effect.”
By combining live events with big narratives and story-driven content, Netflix is turning sports moments into global streaming occasions. The upside for cord cutters is that they are included in a subscription without the traditional PPV friction, but for non-subscribers, it adds to further fragmentation.