The sale of the UFC to WME-IMG and MSD Capital could open doors for MMA stars to cross over into film and television, president Dana White has claimed.
White will remain in his role following the record $4bn deal, which marked a huge return on investment for the Fertitta brothers after they bought the promotion for $2m back in 2001.
William Morris Endeavor [WME] represents a number of Hollywood actors and filmmakers, potentially opening doors for some of the UFC’s bigger names to break into the film industry.
And White told TMZ he expects “television and movie opportunities” to follow.
https://twitter.com/MovieBAnonymous/status/752806628781469696
I think [WME-IMG] are really going to bring in a lot more sponsors, there’s going to be television and movie opportunities for these guys,” White said.
“People can’t wrap their brains around the fact that we haven’t even scratched the surface of how big this sport’s going to be.”
Former UFC women’s bantamweight champion Ronda Rousey is the biggest UFC name to receive a Hollywood acting credit in the recent past, having featured in The Expendables 3 and Furious 7.
Michael Bisping, the reigning men’s middleweight title-holder, is poised to play a part in the upcoming xXx sequel, a part which Conor McGregor originally looked like landing.
