In just two decades, the UFC has gone from $2 million dollars to about ten billion dollars, which is an increase of about five hundred thousand percent. Who owns it? The Endeavor Group through Zuffa LLC own 50% of UFC, giving them power over decisions. Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and MSD Capital own the other half – 49%. Contrary to popular belief though – Dana White isn’t actually an owner; he’s simply President without disclosing his share in UFC.
While everyone was led to believe that there were a lot more owners controlling this multi-billion dollar business when really there are just four – all wanting control of what they perceive as theirs while simultaneously destroying what others had built up painstakingly over time.
Is Dana White the Owner of the UFC?
A lot of people think Dana White is the owner of UFC. However, he never owned the company even back when it first started in 2001. The Fertitta brothers became owners instead and he just ended up as president then. This does not mean that he owns any shares at all; but rather everything happens under his watchful eye – from scouting for new talent to signing sponsorship deals, negotiating venue leases, and working with regulatory commissions – so really anything to do with managing what goes on behind-the-scenes inside this huge organization, takes place beneath him. It was only after 2016 when the Fertitta brothers sold their shares did Mr. White gain an ownership stake of 9%.
The company has been sold for just over $4 billion, meaning that White earned about $360 million from the deal. The best part for White is that he was kept at his position as UFC president, and the new deal gave him ownership rights in the company – although details weren’t given concerning this last detail.
He may earn money as a part-owner but ultimately makes good coin through being one of those responsible to make all those funds roll in; considering this industry has helped spearhead Endeavor’s economic success with how quickly it has risen among global sporting leagues. As such, let us presume Mr. White is profiting handsomely off these royalties alone – never mind how many shares he owns in its entirety.
Who Owns UFC?
The majority owner of the UFC today is Endeavor at 50.1% ownership. A diverse conglomerate company in the entertainment industry, this purchase was a risk for them- but it has paid off tremendously in recent years. Despite being backed into a corner after many investments fell to ruin due to the coronavirus pandemic, their most profitable business – UFC – took off like wildfire and became even more successful than before.
For years prior to the pandemic, half of all income from Endeavor came from the UFC; yet with their other ventures going downhill, now upwards of eighty percent does come from this sole reliable source. This makes it not only among the best companies out there that are still thriving during these difficult times but also an inspiring example that anything can happen if you don’t give up or settle down just because things seem hopeless sometimes; always keep fighting!
The Endeavor Group Holdings, formerly known as WME-IMG (to avoid confusion), bought a majority stake of Zuffa, LLC., the UFC’s parent company, from the Fertitta brothers for over $4 billion. Holding shares in equal distribution with Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and MSD Capital., they are now the majority owners. Estimated to be worth nearly double what was paid at this time last year,. The exact net worth has not yet been disclosed nor will it probably ever be considering there seems to be an agreement reached on February 16th.
How Much Money Is the UFC Worth?
As I’ve said before, the UFC has become one of the most popular global franchises in recent times – with its value increasing every year since 2001. Just how much is it worth? Well, we can take a look at its ownership history to figure that out. Back then, the Fertita Brothers (Joe and Frank) bought this company for about $2 million – which admittedly sounds like an outrageous price tag now when you consider all of the successful fights they had under their belts.
But back then, this MMA organisation was barely even on anyone’s radar – and as such lacked any real stars or managerial team behind them (which Joe and Frank soon remedied). Fifteen years later, though…the Fertitas decide to sell! And to whomever ends up purchasing this franchise from them – nevermind what they paid back in ’01-‘ those lucky devils ended up owning something worth approximately $4 billion dollars!
From that point onward, the UFC reached higher highs each year – its popularity grew to unprecedented levels, which led it to be worth billions of dollars. They made many well-thought-out decisions, such as transitioning from FOX to ESPN, developing a monthly fee-based streaming service called Fight Pass, and more. Even though they do not disclose an exact dollar amount, estimates place the company at being worth anywhere between $7 and 10 billion.
This fluctuates due to the coronavirus epidemic; however, even without these uncertainties, it is clear that this trend will continue upward. If so then mixed martial arts can become the most popular combat sport in the world for both men and women. The boxing vs MMA debate has been going on for decades, but with Boxing’s current lack of growth in recent years combined with Mixed Martial Arts flourishing worldwide this victory will soon go to whichever side wins out here first rather than waiting around for things that may never happen.
How Did Dana White Become the UFC president?
Dana White has been the face of the UFC for over 20 years, and is undoubtedly one of the main reasons the company has been so successful. However, how did Dana go from being just another boxer to becoming President of the UFC? After financial difficulties forced Dana to move to Las Vegas – he started practicing different martial arts styles as well as getting a job at a corner store there – which eventually led up to Dana having his first professional fight at 18 years old.
Active as a fighter and a manager, he made noise in the world of martial arts. In 2001 when he heard the UFC was up for sale, he saw this as his chance to make big moves; so much so that he even called up his old friends- the Fertitta Brothers- about making one last go at it together. They eventually managed to buy UFC for two million dollars, throwing Dana White in as president.
He also got a 9% share of the company, while his siblings only held about 80%. Dana was largely responsible for the creation of some of MMA’s earliest global superstars. He managed many well-known figures in this sport including UFC champions Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. Obviously, he did an excellent job leading the company as it became one of the sports’ most lucrative franchises – after all, it was sold just three years ago! The sale may have been quick, but he still remained president under new management.
It’s unlikely to see a shift in that position any time soon because the company is still growing despite all the economic difficulties the entire entertainment industry found themselves in during the coronavirus pandemic. However, while we do not know for sure how much ownership White has in the company- at least 9% – he will most likely have some of the profit from this organization to his name. He had that percentage when he was an owner under previous management and it can be assumed his stake hasn’t changed too dramatically yet.
UFC Ownership Percentages
Information about the UFC Ownership Distribution is not publicly released, however, there are some factors that we know of. The company that owns it is Endeavor Group Holdings Inc.; they own 50% of the company which leaves room for speculation around the other half (49%). It seems like Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and MSD Capital are involved through Zuffa LLC; but we cannot find out how much Dana White owns from this information. No one knows what will happen next since it all could change at any moment.
According to an SEC filing dated 16th February 2021, the company reached an agreement that would give Endeavor full ownership rights over the company soon. The company plans on going public through an initial public offering (IPO), although a similar agreement made in 2019 failed to materialize due to Endeavor pulling back from the deal last minute. The recent agreement suggests that they need to raise at least $1.75 billion for this purpose – thereby giving them full ownership rights over the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) and making them 100%.
It’s uncertain whether or not White would continue to own part of the company if he were bought out in this instance. If Endeavor fails to find a way to acquire enough funds for an IPO and still can’t go public, then their contract will fall through. But it’s also very unlikely that anything like this will happen this time around; one of the most powerful business leaders in the world – Elon Musk – has now taken his seat on Endeavour’s Board of Directors. It’s unclear what owning 100% of Endeavour would mean for the UFC, but ultimately the fans probably won’t even notice – they’ll just keep watching as always.
Merry Christmas Happy New Year + Weekly MMA Report
On Saturday night, for the first time in history, there was a UFC event that had 3 championship fights. Surprisingly, Sean Strickland and Jared Cannonier ended up being awarded with a controversial split-draw decision. In his victory speech to the crowd, even though he could barely talk due to all of his cuts open from over 100 strikes thrown by Cannonier during the match, Strickland declared I don’t care about this stupid decision.
There were many impressive performances at this event such as Drew Dober vs Bobby Green who earned themselves Fight of the Night honors for their back-and-forth brawl that went down to the wire. Alex Caceres delivered one of his best performances when he pulled off an astonishing jump-kick KO against Julian Erosa earning him Performance of the Night honors.
UFC Orlando + Weekly MMA Report
PFL 10 was an unforgettable event. Larissa Pacheco toppled Kayla Harrison and shook up the world after 5 rounds of epic back-and-forth action. Brendan Loughnane stopped Bubba Jenkins in round 4, while Ante Delija looked incredible again against Mattheus Scheffel and took home the 1 million dollar prize for his victory in the rematch – his 3rd consecutive victory in this event!
Julia Budd lost her fight to Aspen Ladd via a controversial split decision, but Stevie Ray got beat by Olivier Aubin Mercier through a stunning hook in round two. There were many upsets but we saw one first time ever Australian champion at PFL 10; Rob Wilkinson defied all odds and won his title belt from Omari Akhmedov after beating him fabulously with some awesome strikes during their 5th round matchup!
After a one-weekend break, the UFC finally returns with an exciting event in Orlando this Saturday. The main matchup is headlined by long time veteran and elite striker Stephen Thompson who faces off against speedy fighter and CoVid 2020 Champion Kevin Holland. If Wonderboy hopes to win, he’ll have to use his cerebral approach while trying not to fall prey to KO punches or submission tactics from Holland. Whoever lands first can take the prize; so expect anything come fight night!
Prediction: the fight goes the distance
Former lightweight champion Rafael dos Anjos and gritty Bryan Barbarena are set to battle in a co-main event this evening. Dos Anjos has shown exceptional ground skills throughout his career and an impressive ability to withstand pressure, whereas Barbarena is relentless with powerful shots for days. It will be a close fight, but we’re expecting the Brazilian veteran to come out on top as he is more well-rounded than his opponent.
Prediction: dos Anjos to win
You can take a glance at the card below, but please click this link too because there may be some changes coming up before time runs ou.
Main Event (UFC on Fight Pass, ESPN+, 10 PM ET, 4 AM CET)
Welterweight (170 pounds): Stephen Thompson (16-6-1) vs. Kevin Holland (23-8-0)
Welterweight (170 pounds): Rafael dos Anjos (31-14-0) vs. Bryan Barberena (18-8-0)
Flyweight (125 pounds): Matheus Nicolau (18-2-1) vs. Matt Schnell (16-7-0)
Heavyweight (265 pounds): Tai Tuivasa (15-4-0) vs. Sergei Pavlovich (16-1-0)
Middleweight (185 pounds): Jack Hermansson (23-7-0) vs. Roman Dolidze (11-1-0)
Middleweight (185 pounds): Eryk Anders (14-7-0) vs. Kyle Daukaus (11-3-0)
Preliminary Card (UFC on Fight Pass, ESPN+, 7 PM ET, 1 PM CET)
Welterweight (170 pounds): Niko Price (15-5-0) vs. Philip Rowe (9-3-0)
Strawweight (115 pounds): Angela Hill (14-12-0) vs. Emily Ducote (12-6-0)
Lightweight (155 pounds): Clay Guida (37-22-0) vs. Scott Holtzman (14-5-0)
Lightweight (155 pounds): Michael Johnson (20-18-0) vs. Marc Diakiese (16-5-0)
Featherweight (145 pounds): Darren Elkins (27-10-0) vs. Jonathan Pearce (13-4-0)
Flyweight (125 pounds): Tracy Cortez (10-1-0) vs. Amanda Ribas (11-3-0)
Lightweight (155 pounds): Natan Levy (7-1-0) vs. Genaro Valdéz (10-1-0)
Featherweight (145 pounds): Francis Marshall (6-0-0) vs. Marcelo Rojo (16-8-0)
Strawweight (115 pounds): Yazmin Jauregui (9-0-0) vs. Istela Nunes (6-3-0)
Here are my predictions for the upcoming UFC Orlando fight card:
Be sure not to miss out on all of the breathtaking fights going down at UFC Orlando! It may be tough being a European fan, but there’s nothing better than watching these high-intensity battles live and up close.
Muay Thai Equipments
If you’re only going to ever train in the ring, and never learn how to practice other things like shadowboxing or fighting with another person – then you’re doing yourself an injustice. Muay Thai is a very difficult martial art, so if you want to excel at it you’ll need plenty of Muay Thai gear; even just getting out there when starting out. Muay Thai is one of the most complicated martial arts there are because it involves striking your opponent using your knees, elbows, fists, and feet; but also locking them down so they can’t retaliate either.
Ground fighting is prohibited though but this doesn’t mean professional fighters don’t make up for what they lack without giving up anything else. This article will focus on all different types of equipment that’ll help improve both your performance and results when practicing at home – whether solo or alongside someone else!
Muay Thai Equipment You Must Have For Gym Training
Muay Thai training gear has value for many different reasons, and we will focus on the ones that are most important:
- It protects the specific areas of your body from injuries – shin guards, Muay Thai boxing gloves, and mouth guards…I could count the pieces of equipment all day long. Without them, your fighting career will be cut short due to a lack of safety measures and it would also endanger you, your sparring partner, too;
- Muay Thai training gear creates the realistic feeling of the fight – for instance, you can practice your upper-cut or overhand accuracy on an angled heavy bag
- Thai training gear helps you boost your cardio or work on a specific aspect of the game – for instance, you could do two three-minute rounds of kicking pads or work on your powerful leg kicks with banana shaped heavy bags.
One of the most significant factors to consider in choosing an appropriate Muay Thai training gear set is size. There are many nuances that you may need to take into account, such as hand wraps which should be considered when picking out a glove size because they will affect performance during sparring sessions significantly.
This article aims to shed light on some important aspects and considerations when shopping for the right Muay Thai equipment set and we hope it helps you make a purchase decision without hesitation next time. Let’s create your own version of Thailand right here at home!
Heavy Bag
The heavy bag is engineered for Muay Thai, and every bit of punching or kicking equipment you hang from it can boost your performance. But don’t make any rash decisions just yet! I’ll outline the details about striking bags – fill, shape, weight distribution – so you know what makes them best suited to different types of trainees.
Fill determines how much they swing when hit; while shape dictates how much they move around when struck. Remember to also check out weight distribution before making a decision on which one is right for you!
Let me ask you a question – do those Muay Thai heavy bags really make iron shins? Well, they’re made out of different materials. Leather, synthetic, vinyl or plastic? Let’s start with the leather one because it’s the roughest material and you’ll toughen up every time you strike either wearing gloves or not.
Then next important parameter is what it’s filled with – sand, foam stuffing, water etcetera… If you want a great deal of force behind each hit – then pick one that has been filled with sand. For more accuracy and power punching when wearing boxing gloves – then the water-filled kind is for you. The reason there are so many types available in stores – everyone wants to train how they want!
When you want to improve your punching power and develop some striking rhythm, a banana-shaped bag is definitely for you. This piece of training equipment provides an excellent workout for low kicks since it gives more room for the feet. For uppercuts, we would recommend using a traditional style Muay Thai heavy bag that swings back and forth.
Heavy bags allow you to practice landing different types of punches because they provide targets at different heights. Not only do they train punching technique, but they also help with building stamina because they move slowly. So when sparring against your partner, he’ll start feeling soreness in his legs after being constantly kicked or punched by the heavy bag swinging back and forth so much!
More osteoblasts will reside on your shins – making you more powerful when you make contact with an opponent. Harder bones are another layer of defense – giving you a competitive edge for a longer amount of time without shin guards in a fight. It takes less time to go pro if you’re strengthening your shins at the right time. I always recommend spending some extra money and buying equipment that’s tailored specifically to what type of Muay Thai training routine work best for you. Replacing wrong equipment can eat up much needed time and money, so it’s important to get what works for you from the start.
For instance, a bag full of fabric will last longer than one filled with sand, but if you need to create some tough knuckles then sand would be the way to go. Yes this may mean that your hands won’t look as pretty when they come out after striking someone – but it’ll feel amazing! I love picking up my favorite brands at the market – Outslayer, Fairtex, Everlast, Ringside and RDX are just some of them. But there’s something about these banana-shaped bags for kicking techniques that make me love them even more. They provide so much power against opponents’ defenses both close up and from afar – all thanks to their shape which can also be modified depending on what position in fighting arts you’re currently learning.
Gloves
You might wonder Can I really use a Muay Thai training session? right? The real answer is yes, but only if you are targeting the uppercut bag, teardrop, or classic style models! Muay Thai and Boxing are two different types of fighting sports – whereas in Muay Thai you can do leg kicks and punch more freely – making it harder to find these types of gloves. Let me ask you an important question now: What type of fight Gloves are you looking for? Are they mainly for competitions, home workouts, sparring partner drills, clinching fights, or hard strikes? If so then make sure that before buying them you know which one will suit your needs better.
There are many advantages to using an expensive model over a cheaper one. Here is just a small list of the benefits of an expensive model:
- Greater choice of designs and colors;
- Better knuckle protection;
- Better durability and competition performance;
- Additional layers of protection when you’re covering up to defend from your sparring partner or when you land big bombs;
- Shorter break-in period;
- Better breathability – Believe me, you do not want to keep putting newspapers into your Muay Thai boxing gloves every other week. The odor can be both annoying and irritating.
FAQs About Who Owns The UFC
How Can I Get Tickets To A UFC Event?
Event tickets can often be found a few months before they become available. You can find them on Eventbrite at the link below or if you prefer other Ticket sellers see links down below!
Are Pay-Per-View events included in UFC Fight Pass?
Yes, you can purchase PPV events separately until they are made available a ten days after the initial airing. But don’t worry because if you’re an existing UFC Fight Pass subscriber, then you’ll have access to all previous PPV events that were shown on TV inside of UFC Fight Pass at Event Replays
If I purchased a UFC Fight Pass subscription within the UFC.TV application on my iPad or iPhone, can I view the videos on my computer and other devices?
Yes. Once you have bought the FIGHT PASS within an iPhone/iPad/iTouch application, then all you need to do is sign-in with your UFC.TV account inside of the app and it will automatically authenticate the purchase and enable access on other devices for no additional cost.
What Does The Upcoming Event Schedule Look Like?
Please visit the schedule on the Upcoming Events page for the most updated information about upcoming events and fight cards.
Conclusion
Ultimate Fighting Championships, a promotion company of the once fringe sport of mixed martial arts has now become worth 4 billion dollars. With growth comes complications though- most notably with payment discrepancy issues between fighters. Disgruntled athletes believe themselves to be underpaid, which many times they are correct in thinking so. However fighters have taken different paths to try and fix this problem; all while misusing time that could be spent training instead.
A group of angry former UFC fighters has taken legal action against the organization by filing a class-action antitrust lawsuit. They’re also lobbying for legislation to include MMA under the Muhammad Ali Act in order to protect themselves from unfair treatment just like boxers were treated unfairly, too. But unfortunately, these efforts will only hurt them even more because they’re not likely to succeed; lawsuits are difficult because they need evidence and this one is no exception. There was hope in legislating rules but the results weren’t satisfactory enough when it came down to regulating boxing and there’s bound to be the same outcome when trying with MMA – which means nothing would change at all.
