• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • Lad Files
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Extinct
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content
WWE sold to UFC's parent company in $21 billion merger

Home> Sport

Updated 14:51 3 Apr 2023 GMT+1Published 14:48 3 Apr 2023 GMT+1

WWE sold to UFC's parent company in $21 billion merger

UFC and WWE are going to be merging in a $21 billion deal

Joe Harker

Joe Harker

Featured Image Credit: Sipa US/Alamy PA/Alamy

Topics: WWE, UFC, Sport, Money

Joe Harker
Joe Harker

Joe graduated from the University of Salford with a degree in Journalism and worked for Reach before joining the LADbible Group. When not writing he enjoys the nerdier things in life like painting wargaming miniatures and chatting with other nerds on the internet. He's also spent a few years coaching fencing. Contact him via [email protected]

X

@MrJoeHarker

Advert

Advert

Advert

UFC parent company Endeavor has announced that they've secured a $21 billion deal to buy WWE and will merge the two brands together.

Endeavor will have 51 percent of the new company formed after the merger while the current WWE shareholders will get the remaining 49 percent.

Ariel Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor, said the merger would create a brand with 'global reach, impressive scale and omnichannel distribution', whatever that last one is supposed to mean.

He said: "This is a rare opportunity to create a global live sports and entertainment pureplay built for where the industry is headed.

Advert

"For decades, Vince and his team have demonstrated an incredible track record of innovation and shareholder value creation, and we are confident that Endeavor can deliver significant additional value for shareholders by bringing UFC and WWE together."

UFC's parent company will have the larger stake, but WWE boss Vince McMahon will still have a role to play.
WENN Rights Ltd / Alamy Stock Photo

WWE boss Vince McMahon welcomed the move, hailing it as 'the best outcome' while praising Ariel for his work in developing UFC.

"Given the incredible work that Ari and Endeavor have done to grow the UFC brand – nearly doubling its revenue over the past seven years – and the immense success we’ve already had in partnering with their team on a number of ventures, I believe that this is without a doubt the best outcome for our shareholders and other stakeholders." He 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.

Advert

"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."

Endeavor boss Ariel Emanuel will take charge of the new merged brand.
AFF / Alamy Stock Photo

Emanuel will be the CEO of this new merged brand, while McMahon will be Executive Chairman of the Board.

They believe that together they can grow even stronger, though how much higher can you really climb when WWE has got Snoop Dogg turning up to drop a People's Elbow at Wrestlemania?

Advert

Needless to say $21 billion is an absolutely honking massive amount of money but for that you're squishing together two of the biggest sports brands in the world.

There are still a few regulatory hoops to jump through so this deal is expected to be completely done 'in the second half of 2023'.

Choose your content:

a day ago
2 days ago
  • x/alexiuss11x/alexiuss11
    a day ago

    Shocking moment fan tries to get into world no1's bag while he's not looking at US Open

    Jannik Sinner had just secured the bag when a fan tried to get in his

    News
  • Women's Super LeagueWomen's Super League
    2 days ago

    Female rugby player’s club issues statement after sending off over comment to male referee

    York Valkyrie has shared a statement in wake of Sinead Peach's spat with a referee

    News
  • Instagram/@kamilmajchrzakInstagram/@kamilmajchrzak
    2 days ago

    Tennis player finds young boy who had cap 'stolen' by millionaire CEO in heartwarming moment after viral clip

    A viral video shows CEO Piotr Szczerek snatching a boy's signed cap at the US Open

    News
  • XX
    2 days ago

    CEO issues official response to 'stealing' cap from child at US Open in viral video

    Polish CEO Piotr Szczerek, of paving company Drogbruk, has issued an apology over the incident

    News

    breaking

  • Kelly Osbourne slams ‘disrespectful’ WWE star who made 'cheap' Ozzy joke in front of stunned fans
  • Company suffers biggest stock market loss in history with $600 billion wipeout
  • Rampage Jackson hits out at racists after son Raja leaves Syko Stu in critical care
  • Netflix subscribers given £1,000 fine warning ahead of Jake Paul fight and £4 billion WWE deal