Amid the current fiasco at the heavyweight limit with two championships in play, UFC CEO, Dana White has received…
Amid the current fiasco at the heavyweight limit with two championships in play, UFC CEO, Dana White has received flak from former welterweight star, Ben Askren who questioned the continued delay on Jon Jones’ return to action.
Jones, the current heavyweight champion, lifted vacant spoils in March of last year, submitting French contender, Ciryl Gane with a dominant opening round guillotine choke, however, he has yet to return amid a pectoral tendon injury.
Expected to make his comeback in an end-of-year outing at UFC 309 in November at Madison Square Garden in a rescheduled showdown with former two-time champion, Stipe Miocic.
However, an interim championship remains in play – with current gold holder, Tom Aspinall defending that crown just earlier this month at UFC 304 with a blistering rematch knockout of Curtis Blaydes in Manchester.
“I almost feel like maybe Jon (Jones) has some dirt on Dana (White) or something,” Ben Askren said on Daniel Cormier’s YouTube channel. “Because Dana wouldn’t put up with this type of behavior. This is what the UFC has been founded on, whereas boxing [is not].”
“‘We want the best guys to fight, we want to see who the best guy is, no shenanigans, no padding records to go to 40,’” Ben Askren continued. “The fact that Jon – I don’t know if allowed is the right term, but that Dana is playing along and letting him and Stipe (Miocic) fight, when Stipe is going to be close to four years [out] by the time they fight.”
Who Owns the UFC? Ari Emanuel, TKO Group, Dana White, and Endeavor, are all key figures in this story….
Who Owns the UFC? Ari Emanuel, TKO Group, Dana White, and Endeavor, are all key figures in this story. It began with the Fertitta brothers purchasing the UFC from SEG in 2001 and continues to evolve to this day. Endeavor with a collection of investment firms owns the bulk of the UFC.
Who Owns the UFC?
Who Owns the UFC? The Ultimate Fighting Championship is owned by Endeavor Group Holdings and a combination of investment firms and Dana White. Endeavor holds a majority stake in the organization. The entertainment, sports, and talent agency, acquired the UFC in 2016 for approximately $4.025 billion. This acquisition marked one of the largest transactions in sports history. Firms Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and MSD Capital also own a piece of the UFC.
Stakeholders of the UFC
Who Owns the UFC? These are the various stakeholders who own parts of the UFC
Endeavor Group Holdings (50.1%)
Endeavor Group is a company specializing in talent and media agency services. The company was formed in April 2009 through the merger of the William Morris Agency and Endeavor Talent Agency. The firm represents a wide range of artists in film, television, music, theater, digital media, publishing, and more. It also represents major sports leagues like the NFL and NHL and owns various sports and entertainment properties, including the UFC and WWE through TKO Group Holdings.
Silver Lake Partners
Silver Lake Partners is a private equity firm focused on technology investments. Founded in 1999, Silver Lake manages assets worth $102 billion with a focus on tech. In addition to the UFC, they also own a part of Dell Computers and Alibaba.
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is a global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, and credit. KKR is known for its leveraged buyouts and significant investments in various industries. Largely it is known as a payment processing company and owns a part of the UFC and GoDaddy.
MSD Capital
MSD Capital is a private investment firm that manages the capital of Michael Dell and his family. Founded in 1998, the firm focuses on a wide range of investment strategies.
Dana White
Dana White initially owned 10% of the UFC when it was acquired by the Fertitta brothers in 2001. This stake was later reduced to 9% after Flash Entertainment acquired a 10% stake in Zuffa, the then-parent company of the UFC, in 2009. Who owns the UFC and is it Dana White?
When the UFC was sold to WME-IMG, now Endeavor, in 2016, White retained his 9% ownership stake. This sale earned him around $360 million. Despite the complete acquisition of the UFC by Endeavor in 2021, reports indicate that Dana White retained his 9% ownership stake in the organization. His role and influence have continued to be significant, especially after the merger of UFC and WWE under TKO Group Holdings in 2023.
Merger with WWE and TKO Holdings
Who owns the UFC and is it TKO? Announced in April 2023, Endeavor announced that the UFC would merge with the WWE to form a new public company named TKO Group Holdings. Endeavor owns 51% of TKO, while WWE shareholders own the remaining 49%. The combined valuation of the new entity is approximately $21 billion, with the UFC valued at $12.1 billion and WWE at $9.3 billion.
Who is Ari Emanuel?
Ari Emanuel is a prominent figure in this story, serving as the CEO of Endeavor and TKO. Who owns the UFC and is it Ari Emanuel? Kind of. Following the merger of UFC and WWE to form TKO Group Holdings, Ari Emanuel was appointed as the CEO of the new entity. Emanuel also serves as the Executive Chairman of TKO Group Holdings, overseeing the strategic direction and integration of UFC and WWE under one corporate umbrella.
Fertitta Brothers and Zuffa
Some historical context on who owns the UFC: In January 2001, the Fertitta brothers purchased the UFC from Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG) for $2 million. At the time, the UFC was struggling financially and on the brink of bankruptcy. To manage their new acquisition, the Fertittas created Zuffa, LLC, which became the parent entity of the UFC. The word “Zuffa” is Italian for “brawl.”
Lorenzo Fertitta served as the CEO of the UFC, while Frank Fertitta III was involved in strategic decisions. Their leadership, along with Dana White as President, was instrumental in revitalizing the UFC. In July 2016, the Fertitta brothers sold their majority stake in the UFC to a group led by WME-IMG, now known as Endeavor. Who owns the UFC and it is Zuffa? Not anymore.
After the sale, the Fertittas retained a minority ownership stake for a period but eventually exited their roles in the UFC’s day-to-day operations. Lorenzo Fertitta stepped down from his position to focus on other ventures, including Fertitta Capital, a private investment firm he launched with his brother in 2017.
Who owns the UFC? Hopefully the above is able to answer all of your questions.
Who Owns the UFC? Ari Emanuel, TKO Group, Dana White, and Endeavor, are all key figures in this story….
Who Owns the UFC? Ari Emanuel, TKO Group, Dana White, and Endeavor, are all key figures in this story. It began with the Fertitta brothers purchasing the UFC from SEG in 2001 and continues to evolve to this day. Endeavor with a collection of investment firms owns the bulk of the UFC.
Who Owns the UFC?
Who Owns the UFC? The Ultimate Fighting Championship is owned by Endeavor Group Holdings and a combination of investment firms and Dana White. Endeavor holds a majority stake in the organization. The entertainment, sports, and talent agency, acquired the UFC in 2016 for approximately $4.025 billion. This acquisition marked one of the largest transactions in sports history. Firms Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and MSD Capital also own a piece of the UFC.
Stakeholders of the UFC
Who Owns the UFC? These are the various stakeholders who own parts of the UFC
Endeavor Group Holdings (50.1%)
Endeavor Group is a company specializing in talent and media agency services. The company was formed in April 2009 through the merger of the William Morris Agency and Endeavor Talent Agency. The firm represents a wide range of artists in film, television, music, theater, digital media, publishing, and more. It also represents major sports leagues like the NFL and NHL and owns various sports and entertainment properties, including the UFC and WWE through TKO Group Holdings.
Silver Lake Partners
Silver Lake Partners is a private equity firm focused on technology investments. Founded in 1999, Silver Lake manages assets worth $102 billion with a focus on tech. In addition to the UFC, they also own a part of Dell Computers and Alibaba.
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts
Kohlberg Kravis Roberts is a global investment firm that manages multiple alternative asset classes, including private equity, energy, infrastructure, real estate, and credit. KKR is known for its leveraged buyouts and significant investments in various industries. Largely it is known as a payment processing company and owns a part of the UFC and GoDaddy.
MSD Capital
MSD Capital is a private investment firm that manages the capital of Michael Dell and his family. Founded in 1998, the firm focuses on a wide range of investment strategies.
Dana White
Dana White initially owned 10% of the UFC when it was acquired by the Fertitta brothers in 2001. This stake was later reduced to 9% after Flash Entertainment acquired a 10% stake in Zuffa, the then-parent company of the UFC, in 2009. Who owns the UFC and is it Dana White?
When the UFC was sold to WME-IMG, now Endeavor, in 2016, White retained his 9% ownership stake. This sale earned him around $360 million. Despite the complete acquisition of the UFC by Endeavor in 2021, reports indicate that Dana White retained his 9% ownership stake in the organization. His role and influence have continued to be significant, especially after the merger of UFC and WWE under TKO Group Holdings in 2023.
Merger with WWE and TKO Holdings
Who owns the UFC and is it TKO? Announced in April 2023, Endeavor announced that the UFC would merge with the WWE to form a new public company named TKO Group Holdings. Endeavor owns 51% of TKO, while WWE shareholders own the remaining 49%. The combined valuation of the new entity is approximately $21 billion, with the UFC valued at $12.1 billion and WWE at $9.3 billion.
Who is Ari Emanuel?
Ari Emanuel is a prominent figure in this story, serving as the CEO of Endeavor and TKO. Who owns the UFC and is it Ari Emanuel? Kind of. Following the merger of UFC and WWE to form TKO Group Holdings, Ari Emanuel was appointed as the CEO of the new entity. Emanuel also serves as the Executive Chairman of TKO Group Holdings, overseeing the strategic direction and integration of UFC and WWE under one corporate umbrella.
Fertitta Brothers and Zuffa
Some historical context on who owns the UFC: In January 2001, the Fertitta brothers purchased the UFC from Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG) for $2 million. At the time, the UFC was struggling financially and on the brink of bankruptcy. To manage their new acquisition, the Fertittas created Zuffa, LLC, which became the parent entity of the UFC. The word “Zuffa” is Italian for “brawl.”
Lorenzo Fertitta served as the CEO of the UFC, while Frank Fertitta III was involved in strategic decisions. Their leadership, along with Dana White as President, was instrumental in revitalizing the UFC. In July 2016, the Fertitta brothers sold their majority stake in the UFC to a group led by WME-IMG, now known as Endeavor. Who owns the UFC and it is Zuffa? Not anymore.
After the sale, the Fertittas retained a minority ownership stake for a period but eventually exited their roles in the UFC’s day-to-day operations. Lorenzo Fertitta stepped down from his position to focus on other ventures, including Fertitta Capital, a private investment firm he launched with his brother in 2017.
Who owns the UFC? Hopefully the above is able to answer all of your questions.
Dana White has stuck to his guns regarding the expected upcoming heavyweight title fight between the champion Jon Jones and the returning Stipe Miocic. This match-up has been controversial ever since Jones was forced to push the fight back a year due to an injury – which then led to Tom Aspinall winning the interim […]
Dana White has stuck to his guns regarding the expected upcoming heavyweight title fight between the champion Jon Jones and the returning Stipe Miocic.
This match-up has been controversial ever since Jones was forced to push the fight back a year due to an injury – which then led to Tom Aspinall winning the interim title and defending it this past month.
He recently cleared the air once again on what he believes are the next steps for the heavyweight division now that Aspinall has defended his title whilst we await Jones’ return.
Dana White Says That Jon Jones & Stipe Miocic Deserve To Fight One Another But Owe It To Aspinall Afterwards
He believes that this decision comes down to the two men that were originally set to meet at UFC 295 last November because of what they’ve done in the sport.
However, he also clarifies that in his opinion, the winner of the heavyweight title fight should then have to pay it forward by giving Aspinall the chance to fight for the undisputed title before riding off into the sunset.
“He [Aspinall] looks like the future of the heavyweight division right but at the same time, he’s working his way up. He’s climbing up the ladder and everybody’s like, ‘He deserves this and he deserves that.’ He doesn’t deserve anything. He looks great and he looks like he’s going to be the guy. You’ve got Stipe and Jon who have paid their dues, they’ve been here forever, they fought everybody, they fought all the fights that you could possibly fight. These guys deserve to fight each other.
“Whoever wins that fight, I think that they owe it to Aspinall to fight him and give him the opportunity that they’ve been given. When you look at Jon Jones and Stipe, they beat all the guys right? And you’re either gonna be the guy that’s gonna cement your legacy forever or you’re gonna hand the torch off the way that it was handed off to you guys by all the guys that came before you.”
Whilst heaping praise on his performance against Curtis Blaydes earlier this month, UFC CEO, Dana White maintains Tom Aspinall…
Whilst heaping praise on his performance against Curtis Blaydes earlier this month, UFC CEO, Dana White maintains Tom Aspinall doesn’t “deserve” any sort of fight in his next outing – including a unification fight with Jon Jones.
Aspinall, the current interim heavyweight champion, co-headlined UFC 304 earlier this month in Manchester, avenging his sole Octagon loss in brutal fashion.
Successfully defending the interim crown in a rematch fight against the above-mentioned, Blaydes, Aspinall felled the Illinois native with a stunning knockout win inside the opening minute of their showdown, before calling for a grudge title unification pairing with Jones.
And himself expected to headline UFC 309 in a November return to action at Madison Square Garden, Jones is still lined up to take on former two-time heavyweight champion, Stipe Miocic in a rescheduled pairing, after injury forced the current champion from a matchup last year.
Dana White unsure on Tom Aspinall’s future
Staking his claim for a shot at Jones or Miocic in a title unification clash next, Aspinall has been told he doesn’t really deserve “anything” in his next outing by the above-mentioned, White, with fans clamoring for him to take on the Rochester native.
“This guy (Tom Aspinall) is a scary dude, and he looks like the future of the heavyweight division,” Dana White told Kevin Iole during a recent interview. “But the same time, he’s working his way up. He’s climbing up the ladder. And everybody is like ‘He deserves this and he deserves that, and he’s a’ – he doesn’t deserve anything.”
“He looks great and he looks like he’s gonna be the guy,” Dana White continued. “You got Stipe (Miocic) and Jon (Jones) who have paid their dues, they’ve been here forever, they’ve fought everybody, they’ve fought all the fights you could possibly fight – these guys deserve to fight each other.”
Do you think Tom Aspinall deserves to fight Jon Jones next?
Jake Paul believes a potential fight against Alex Pereira would be one of the biggest fights ever. After Paul…
Jake Paul believes a potential fight against Alex Pereira would be one of the biggest fights ever.
After Paul picked up a win over Mike Perry, he called out Alex Pereira, which would be a massive bout. However, it does seem unlikely to happen as Pereira is under UFC contract. But, Paul says if the fight does happen, he thinks it would sell over two million pay-per-view buys.
Jake Paul explains why the fight between him and Alex Pereira should happen:
"If we're gonna sell 2 million PPVs, this is a business at the end of the day…
The PPV numbers in this industry are going down… if Pereira is selling like 500K PPV buys, and then this has a chance… pic.twitter.com/5DzmHbyaeS
“You’re friends with Dana [White], tell Dana, bro…If we’re gonna sell two million pay-per-views, this is a business at the end of the day…The pay-per-view numbers in this industry are going down…If [Alex] Pereira is selling like 500k pay-per-view buys, and then this has a chance to do 2-3 million [buys], that’s basically six fights,” Paul said on the Nelk Boys podcast (via Sportskeeda).
There is no question that a fight between Jake Paul and Alex Pereira would be a massive bout, but for now, it does seem unlikely will happen.
Dana White says he stopped paying attention to Jake Paul
UFC CEO Dana White used to have a rivalry with Jake Paul, but he says that is no longer the case. Instead, he says he stopped caring about Paul after he lost to Tommy Fury.
“Let me tell you something about the Jake Paul thing, the media just eats all his bullshit and they actually print it,” White told TNT Sports (via MMAFighting). “It’s the weirdest thing ever. Not only did I not tell Perry if he won, he’d get in the UFC, I haven’t even talked to Perry in a long time. I didn’t even know Jake Paul was fighting. I was on vacation in Italy, I had no idea. There’s all these stories that were written, it’s ridiculous.
“I stopped paying attention to Jake Paul when he lost to [Tommy] Fury. When he fought somebody that was his age and actually boxed, he lost.”
Jake Paul is currently 10-1 as a pro and coming off a TKO win over Mike Perry.
Who Owns the UFC? Ari Emanuel, TKO Group, Dana White, and Endeavor, are all key figures in this story….
Whilst heaping praise on his performance against Curtis Blaydes earlier this month, UFC CEO, Dana White maintains Tom Aspinall…
Jake Paul believes a potential fight against Alex Pereira would be one of the biggest fights ever. After Paul…