Entertainment and sports specialist WME IMG has acquired the professional mixed martial arts organisation, UFC.
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Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta purchased the UFC for $2 million in 2001.
White made sure that he is one with WME-IMG in continuing to build the UFC as an worldwide brand and making MMA a global sport.
The $4 billion transaction is the most expensive transaction in sports history.
“No other sport compares to UFC”, White said.
White has said the show was the Trojan horse that allowed the company to reach the 18-to-34-year-old demographic that would become its strongest constituency.
Lorenzo Fertitta said that they are confident that the new ownership team of WME-IMG, with who they have worked well with before, is committed to boosting the global growth of UFC.
The ownership group is headed up by WME-IMG, an entertainment agency headed by Ariel Emanuel, a longtime friend of the UFC. “I am happy about the future of the UFC, the sport and my role moving forward”.
UFC is planning a live fight event at Madison Square Garden, the storied location of legendary boxing prize fights over the past century, on Nov 12.
“Exact opposite”, White told ESPN in regards to fans being anxious about the changing of the guard. The talent agency current reps Ronda Rousey. The delay could have possibly been to wait until after this weekend’s UFC 200 festivities. The total announcement is predicted as early as Monday morning.
The organization’s feud with star fighter Conor McGregor played out in public and mixed martial arts icon Jon Jones was suspended for a doping violation last week. The UFC is frequently described as the world’s largest pay-per-view event provider, and it also has a prolific digital streaming service, UFC Fight Pass, that it describes as “Netflix for fight fans” and is a key component of potential growth. It also has a $700 million, multi-year broadcast rights deal with Fox, as well as an online subscription package for fans.
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UFC primary owners the Fertitta brothers will keep a minority share in the company but will no longer handle any business day to day.
