Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) is about to expand its entertainment portfolio.
Netflix recently released a docuseries titled McGregor Forever, chronicling the past three years of the biggest star in mixed martial arts (MMA) history, Conor McGregor. While the timing aligns perfectly with the return of “The Notorious” on UFC programming next week (Tues., May 30, 2023) for the launch of The Ultimate Fighter 31 (TUF), the promotion wasn’t the one to create the product.
UFC President, Dana White, shared today (Weds., May 24, 2023) that fans can expect more content similar to McGregor Forever as well as an actual scripted UFC comedy series involving legendary comedy actor, Adam Sandler.
“It’s not easy to just whip out a documentary and do it,” White told The Pat McAfee Show. “But we’re doing a deal right now with Roku where we’re filming a documentary behind the scenes of the UFC, that will come out later this year. [It’s about] the whole business. You guys will see all the behind-the-scenes.
“We’re working on that [documentary], we’re also working on a show right now with Adam Sandler that’s a comedy about working in the offices of the UFC,” he concluded.
The minimally detailed comedy project won’t be Sandler’s first tie to an MMA-themed piece of entertainment. Sandler’s production company, Happy Madison, helped produce Here Comes the Boom in 2012, starring Sandler’s longtime friend and actor, Kevin James. UFC allowed its name and licensing rights to be featured in the film.
Sandler shouldn’t come as a surprising choice to assist with such an idea as the former Saturday Night Live (SNL) star is represented by UFC’s parent company, William Morris Endeavor. Sandler’s most recent film, Murder Mystery 2, is currently available for streaming on Netflix.