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Summary
- Endeavor has taken over the WWE and is now a 51 percent shareholder
- WWE is estimated to be valued at $9.3 billion and will now be traded under the TKO brand
- Vince McMahon will stay on as WWE Executive Chairman and Dana White as UFC President
There were reports circulating in the MMA world recently that the Ultimate Fighting Championship’s (UFC) parent company, Endeavor Group Holdings Inc., was in discussions to acquire World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
Endeavor Group Acquires WWE
Those reports were confirmed on April 03 as Endeavor confirmed that it was not a majority stakeholder in the WWE with a 51 percent share. This is a massive move by Endeavor as it brings the UFC and WWE under one roof to form a company that will trade under the TKO symbol.
The combined forces of the UFC and WWE are now estimated to be around $21 billion with the WWE estimated to be around $9.3 billion and the UFC around $11.7 billion. The goal of the new company will be to scale its media presence and secure a new media deal for the WWE as its current contract with NBC Universal and Fox will end in 2024.
WWE Executive Chairman, Vince McMahon resigned in July 2022 after he was accused of sexual harassment but returned in Jan 2023 after leveraging his position as a majority stockholder with voting rights. McMahon is reported to have pushed his way back as he wanted to play a key role in the sale of the WWE.
McMahon is alleged to have been in talks with Amazon and ESPN about a potential sale before finalizing the sale of the WWE with Endeavor.
White and McMahon To Retain Their Positions
Under the new deal with Endeavor, McMahon will remain as the WWE Executive Chairman while Dana White who recently had scared his reputation will continue in his role as UFC President. Ari Emmanuel who heads up Endeavor will take on the role of CEO for the new company.
In a statement, McMahon said
Given the incredible work that Ari and Endeavor have done to grow the UFC brand – nearly doubling its revenue over the past seven years – and the immense success we’ve already had in partnering with their team on a number of ventures, I believe that this is without a doubt the best outcome for our shareholders and other stakeholders.
