Endeavor, the talent and media agency, has announced that it has bought out the remaining shareholders of the UFC, the premier mixed martial arts organization, making Endeavor the sole owner of the UFC.
The deal, which was reported to be worth $1.8 billion, marks the end of a 25-year journey for the UFC, which has gone through several ownership changes and transformations since its inception in 1993.
Link: Full List of UFC 25 years
The UFC was founded by Art Davie and Rorion Gracie, and owned by Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG), a pay-per-view company. The UFC was marketed as a no-holds-barred competition to determine the best martial art. The UFC faced legal and political challenges due to its violent and unregulated nature, and struggled to stay afloat.
In 2001, the UFC was purchased by Zuffa LLC, a company created by casino magnates Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, and their friend Dana White, who became the president of the UFC. Zuffa reformed the UFC by introducing rules, weight classes, drug testing, and sanctioning by athletic commissions. Zuffa also expanded the UFC's global reach, signed lucrative TV deals, and produced some of the biggest stars in MMA history, such as Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey. The UFC became the dominant and most profitable organization in MMA.
In 2016, the UFC was sold to a group led by WME-IMG (later renamed Endeavor), a talent and media agency, for $4 billion, the largest sale in sports history. Endeavor became the majority shareholder, while the Fertittas, White, and some private equity firms retained minority stakes. Endeavor continued to grow the UFC's brand and revenue, and in 2021, bought out the remaining shareholders, making Endeavor the sole owner of the UFC. White remained as the president of the UFC.
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Endeavor's CEO Ari Emanuel said that the deal was a testament to the UFC's growth and potential. "We are excited to own 100% of the UFC and to continue to grow the sport and the brand around the world," he said in a statement¹.
White also expressed his enthusiasm for the deal and praised Endeavor's vision and support. "I am incredibly proud of what we have accomplished over the last 20 years and I look forward to continuing to work with Ari, Patrick and the entire Endeavor team to take this sport to the next level," he said².
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The UFC's next event is UFC 264, which will feature the trilogy fight between McGregor and Dustin Poirier, on July 10 in Las Vegas. The event is expected to be one of the biggest in UFC history, and a showcase of the UFC's popularity and success under Endeavor's ownership.
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