UFC Fans Cancel Subscription Over Bud Light Deal

After it was announced Bud Light was returning as the official beer of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) many livid fans are now canceling their subscriptions.

On Tuesday, Bud Light's parent company Anheuser-Busch, and the UFC, an American mixed martial arts (MMA) organization, announced a new "multi-year marketing partnership," according to an online statement shared by the beer maker.

As part of the partnership, Bud Light will become the official UFC beer in the United States, and Anheuser-Busch will become the sole "Official Beer Partner of UFC" starting on January 1.

A source told CNBCthe deal is the largest in the MMA promotion's history and is "well into nine figures."

This decision means Bud Light will replace Modelo as the official beer—and some UFC fans are unhappy that the brand will have a heavy presence in all of the MMA organization's content.

While UFC president and CEO Dana White has defended the partnership, it has ignited a firestorm of criticism on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. Many fans have said they will now be boycotting the UFC because of the brand partnership.

"I'm canceling my subscription and never buying ANY PPV (pay per view) fights anymore until this sponsorship is gone. This is the worst business deal UFC has ever made EVER," one angry fan wrote.

"How about you explain your pathetic Bud Light sponsorship!!?? What you doing rainbow uniforms next?? Canceling my UFC fight pass subscription," said another.

"I just canceled my ESPN+ subscription. I used to buy every PPV but this is the last straw," wrote another.

A fourth added: "Canceled my UFC fight pass subscription. Enjoy your Bud Light, hope it was worth it."

Another fan said that the UFC "will do anything to grow," but they don't want to be a part of it. They theorized that the partnership decision would deter fans from supporting the company.

Not everyone is upset with the partnership news, however, as some people don't care about the decision, saying it won't stop them from continuing to drink Bud Light.

"Are there seriously people who don't drink this beverage because it was promoted by a trans [person]? Who cares, brother," one person wrote on X.

Another took the position of indifference, posting: "Does anyone actually care that UFC is sponsored by Bud Light now?"

In June, country singer Garth Brooks threw his support behind the company when he said his new bar in Nashville would serve a variety of beers, including Bud Light. He said if people were upset by his decision they could go to other bars. Later, he acknowledged that his comments caused "a little bit of a stir."

The news comes as the beer company attempts to fight back following the backlash it received for partnering alongside transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney in April this year.

The partnership proved to be something of a disaster for the brand as a number of celebrities joined the growing chorus of boycott calls, including musician Kid Rock and country artists Travis Tritt and John Rich. This eventually resulted in a decline in Bud Light sales.

It finally seemed like the uproar was starting to lessen in recent weeks. However, on Monday, social media users took aim at Bud Light once more for co-sponsoring an LGBTQ+ Pride event in Arizona over the weekend.

Newsweek reached out via email on Thursday to the UFC and Anheuser-Busch representatives for comment.