24 hours after UFC 200, the sale of the UFC to WME-IMG and MSD capital was announced.
The Ferttita brothers purchased the UFC for $2 million in 2001, 15 years later they have sold the company for $4 billion. The landmark deal marks the largest franchise sale in sports history.
Rumours emerged earlier this year that UFC parent entity Zuffa, founded by Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, had begun fielding offers for the promotion.
And in the wee hours of Sunday morning, KLAS-TV reported that the paperwork for the sale was signed on Saturday to an ownership group comprising of talent agency William Morris Endeavor, International Management Group, and private equity group MSD.
Largest sale in history of sports. #UFC sold for 4 billion to WME-IMG and MSD capital. Fertittas and White small % pic.twitter.com/b7Fj0ZXs4x
— Chris Maathuis (@sports8) July 11, 2016
The sale marks the end of Lorenzo Ferttita’s reign as CEO of the company, but Dana White will stay on as president.
White has confirmed the accuracy of the sale reports, and told ESPN’s Brett Okamoto that his involvement in the running of the company is not expected to change now that ownership has changed hands.
He has been involved with the UFC as president since Zuffa bought the promotion all the way back in 2001, presiding over more than 300 UFC events in his 15-year spell at the helm.
Dana White (@danawhite) on future involvement: Same. President, owner, working my ass off. Just doing it without my best friend and partner.
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) July 11, 2016
