UFC sold for $4 billion—report
UFC president Dana White. AP
After the successful staging of UFC 200 in Las Vegas, a new era dawns at Ultimate Fighting Championship.
The New York Times reported that the promotion has been sold to WME-IMG Group for $4 billion on Saturday (Sunday Manila time).
The sale, said to be the most expensive franchise purchase, is expected to be announced on Monday (Tuesday Manila time).
WME-IMG will be the main investor together with private equity firms Silver Lake, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and the investment firm of billionaire Michael S. Dell.
In another report from TMZ Sports, UFC CEO Lorenzo Fertitta will step down from his post but will remain with the company as a minority owner, along with his brother Frank III.
In a series of tweets from ESPN’s Brett Okamoto, Dana White said his role will stay as is.
“Same. President, owner, working my a** off. Just doing it without my best friend and partner.”
He also said that fans shouldn’t be concerned with the change of ownership, saying that, “Sport is going to the next level.”
The 23-year-old mixed martial arts promotion has seen a surge in its popularity, with its shows now being telecasted to more than 156 countries globally.
UFC’s sale also presents a huge return of investment for the Fertitta brothers, who bought the company in 2000 for just $2 million and ran it under Zuffa LLC in 2001.
ESPN also reported that aside from WME-IMG, other suitors also came knocking on UFC’s door with the Blackstone Group and Chinese outfits Dalian Wanda Group and China Media Capital all bidding for the promotion.
