Its position atop MMA also allows it to match the sport’s top fighters against each other consistently, setting it apart from the hopelessly fractured world of boxing. The total announcement is predicted as early as Monday morning.
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The New York Times first reported the completion of the long-rumored deal.
The UFC has built the sport of mixed martial arts into a main stream attraction throughout its 23 year history, and much of the credit for doing so should be handed to White and the Fertitta brothers.
UFC President Dana White, right, introduces UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey on the stage for a Q&A session during the Macao UFC Fight Night Press Conference at the Four Season Hotel on August 20, 2014 in Hong Kong. Besides William Morris Endeavor (WME), an worldwide known talent agency, the group includes worldwide Management Group (IMG), a global sports and entertainment firm based in NY, and MSD, a private equity group led by Michael Dell, according to Mashable.
Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, who bought the UFC in 2000 for $2 million, will step down as principal owners, though will retain a minority stake in the organization.
Few companies do that better than WME, but the UFC has also been pretty good at building stars in its own violent milieu.
WME-IMG is a leader in entertainment and sports with more than 800 owned, operated and commercially represented events.
The UFC produces more than 40 live events each year and sells out some of the most prestigious arenas around the world. Last Thursday’s card aired entirely on UFC Fight Pass, its digital streaming network.
“I am honoured to have fought under the Fertitta regime”.
For instance, Lesnar made a disclosed $2.5 million along with probable millions in undisclosed bonuses for his victory over Mark Hunt at UFC 200 last Saturday.
UFC was founded in 1993 and now has more than 500 athletes under contract.
Over the 15 years the Fertitta brothers have owned the league, it has draw stadium crowds of up to 70,000 fans as well as large broadcast and pay-per-view audiences.
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UFC’s chief executive and chairman, Lorenzo Fertitta, will no longer be involved in the company’s day-to-day operations.
