Dana White predicts a future where UFC-WWE synergy potentially turns into a 'sports juggernaut'
UFC president Dana White seemingly foresees a future wherein the merger between the UFC and the WWE could create a sports juggernaut.
Hollywood talent agency WME-IMG (now known as Endeavor Group Holdings) acquired majority stakes in the world's premier MMA organization, the UFC, and its parent company Zuffa in 2016. Additionally, earlier this year (2023), Endeavor acquired majority stakes in the world's biggest professional wrestling-based sports-entertainment organization, the WWE.
It's expected that by the end of the 2023 calendar year, the UFC-WWE merger would be completed to form a media conglomerate known as TKO (TKO Group Holdings) valued at around $21 billion.
Endeavor has announced the merger of UFC and WWE to create a mammoth $21 billion+ live sports powerhouse 💰💪
Full story: sportskeeda.com/mma/news-break…
#WWE #UFC https://t.co/gWzw0w9fR7
In a recent interview with Forbes, UFC president Dana White suggested that with Endeavor owning majority stakes in both the UFC and the WWE, the synergy between the two organizations could produce phenomenal results.
The MMA personality also alluded to the fact that Endeavor owns a professional bull-riding organization, namely PBR (Professional Bull Riders). He insinuated that Endeavor could possibly hold UFC, WWE, and PBR events the same weekend while visiting a given city, thereby giving sports fans an amazing experience. Dana White stated:
"I think that when you look at the synergies between the two companies, I'm gonna do what I always do. I'm gonna continue to run this business the way that I always have. They will continue to run their business the way they always have. And obviously, [Endeavor CEO] Ari [Emanuel] and Endeavor are going to add a lot of value over there on the sponsorship, licensing side, and whatever else it may be."
"But then when you start talking about -- when we roll into cities -- you can have a city that wants UFC, WWE, and you could do bull riding that same weekend. When you look at the parent company [Endeavor] and all the things that we're creating and building inside the parent company, this thing's gonna turn into a sports juggernaut."
Watch White discuss the topic in the video below:
Dana White asked about the possibilities of Synergy between UFC and WWE.
https://t.co/iuL0SqmhQ1
Full interview here:
forbes.com/video/63311423…
Dana White on potential crossovers after the UFC-WWE merger
The consensus in the sports-entertainment industry is that the UFC-WWE merger could witness a few UFC fighters crossing over to perform in the WWE. Similarly, some believe that WWE superstars with legitimate combat sports backgrounds, such as former UFC champions Ronda Rousey and Brock Lesnar, could potentially compete in the UFC's octagon again.
Regardless, Dana White has consistently indicated that WWE athletes crossing over to the UFC and competing in legitimate unscripted combat may not be feasible.
While he acknowledged that both the WWE and the UFC possess incredible athletes, he implied that the WWE relies on scripted storylines and pre-determined outcomes whereas the UFC is all about "real" fighting. Speaking to the Associated Press, White said:
"Then you have the entertainment side of it [UFC] too, but it's real fighting, it's real. There are no pre-determined outcomes in the UFC. So, there won't really be any type of crossovers."
Watch Dana White's assessment below: