WWE-UFC deal: Endeavor Inc. once bought Miss World from Vince's friend Donald Trump
Endeavor Inc., the parent company of the UFC, has made a historic acquisition of World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) in a deal that will transform the landscape of combat sports.
The acquisition sees Endeavor taking a 51% controlling interest in WWE, valuing the pro wrestling giant at $9 billion. The remaining shares will be with existing investors and stakeholders, including the McMahon family and Paul 'Triple H' Levesque.
The deal brings together two major players in the sports entertainment industry, forming an entertainment company valued at $21 billion. With both companies boasting a vast global audience, the acquisition could lead to exciting new content and collaborations catering to UFC and WWE fans.
Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor, expressed his confidence in the organization's growth potential. He stated that they could continue to build upon the impressive track record of innovation and shareholder value creation that Vince McMahon and his team have established over the years.
Interestingly, this isn't the first time that Endeavor has crossed paths with the WWE. In fact, Endeavor was responsible for purchasing the Miss World pageant from Vince McMahon's close friend, Donald Trump, back in 2015.
As their paths cross again, it marks a significant moment in combat sports and sports entertainment history.
Vince McMahon shares his take on the WWE-UFC merger
In a statement released to the media, WWE CEO Vince McMahon expressed his excitement about the collaboration with the UFC. He called it a "live sports and entertainment powerhouse" that could reach a fanbase of over a billion people.
McMahon, who has owned WWE since 1982, said the combined company would be "well positioned" to maximize media rights and monetize sponsorship. This is in addition to developing new forms of content and pursuing strategic mergers and acquisitions to strengthen its brand portfolio.
The statement also highlighted McMahon's confidence in the current WWE management team and their ability to work closely with Endeavor and the UFC.
McMahon said:
"Together, we will be a $21+ billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity. The new company will be well positioned to maximize the value of our combined media rights, enhance sponsorship monetization, develop new forms of content and pursue other strategic mergers and acquisitions to further bolster our strong stable of brands. I, along with the current WWE management team, look forward to working closely with Ari and the Endeavor and UFC teams to take the businesses to the next level."
Check out the tweet below:
Today, @Endeavor announced it has signed an agreement to form a $21+ billion global live sports and entertainment company made up of @UFC and @WWE.
bit.ly/3ZJI12U https://t.co/ZBk95c5exU