On Tuesday, September 12th, the largest MMA promotion on the planet merged with the biggest pro wrestling company to form TKO Group Holdings. The WWE/UFC merger was first announced in May, and last Tuesday marks the culmination of four months of strategizing.
World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) has been the top provider of professional wrestling in the United States, dating back to the mid-1980s when owner Vince McMahon bought out or rolled over competing promotions. The UFC began in the 1990s as a no-holds-barred fighting tournament that has evolved into a heavily regulated sport that now outdraws pro boxing.
The pairing of the two entities makes a lot of sense. There have even been athletes who have competed for both promotions. Ronda Rousey and Ken Shamrock were decorated MMA fighters in the UFC prior to joining WWE and becoming a pro wrestler.
There have even been WWE wrestlers that have later competed in the Octagon. Brock Lesnar has previously won the UFC Heavyweight Championship and compiled a 5-3 record. CM Punk also gave the UFC a try, and despite his 0-2 record, he was a popular draw for the promotion.
Punk was terminated by AEW last month, and there have been speculations of him coming back to the WWE. In fact, WWE betting sites have created odds on his return, but they are unfavorable at the moment.
As a result of the merger, Vince McMahon has lost majority control of the WWE for the first time since the early 1980s when he purchased the promotion from his father. While he is a significant shareholder and will be tough to ouster under any circumstances, he is now vulnerable due to his past allegations of inappropriate workplace conduct.
“The creation of TKO marks an exciting new chapter for UFC and WWE as leaders in global sports and entertainment… With UFC and WWE under one roof, we will provide unrivaled experiences for more than a billion passionate fans worldwide.”
Endeavor CEO Ariel Emanuel
McMahon will now serve in the role of Executive Chairman of TKO and possesses a 16.4% stake in the company via his stock portfolio.
Dana White will change titles as well. He was formerly the President of the UFC and now holds the title of Chief Executive Officer. White will continue to oversee the UFC, while the WWE will largely be helmed by Paul Levesque, better known as his wrestling persona Triple-H.
The combined value of TKO is estimated at just over $21 billion and is now being traded on the New York Stock Exchange. As of today, TKO Group Holdings Inc. is trading at $104.67 per share.