The UFC has been expanding its brand in recent years, most notably with its deal with Fox and its online streaming service, UFC Fight Pass. UFC and WME-IMG confirmed the deal in a release on Monday morning.
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The deal is backed by private equity firms Silver Lake Partners LP and KKR & Co LP as well as investment firms owned by billionaire Michael Dell and his family.
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.
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.
Entertainment and sports specialist WME IMG has acquired the professional mixed martial arts organisation, UFC.
UFC primary owners the Fertitta brothers will keep a minority share in the company but will no longer handle any business day to day.
With more than 500 athletes under contract, the UFC stages roughly 40 events per year and is broadcast in more than 150 countries, reaching 1.1 billion television households. New York, the largest media market in the world, was the 50th state to legalize the sport. 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. “I’m looking forward to working with WME-IMG to continue to take this sport to the next level”, the 46-year-old promoter stated.
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.
The Fertittas bought U.F.C.in 2000 for just $2 million.
Dana White’s five-year contract as UFC president under the new ownership group includes a stipulation where he will receive nine percent of the promotion’s net profits. In addition, it is unknown if White received a bump in his stake of the company or if he cashed out some money in exchange for a smaller percentage of the UFC.
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I am honoured to have fought under the Fertitta regime!
