UFC Sells For $4 Billion

July 11, 2016

The UFC sold for $4 billion Saturday, making it the single largest transaction in sports history.

It’s a good deal considering revenues for the MMA league reportedly hovered around $600 million last year along. It’s an unbelievable deal when you realize that casino moguls Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta bought the league in 2000 for just $2 million. They owned a large portion of the league but will still own a small stake.

KLAS

The new owners include an alphabet-soup partnership of WME (William Morris Endeavor), the internationally known talent agency, IMG (International Management Group) a global sports and entertainment company based in New York, and MSD, a private equity group headed by Michael Dell. Also involved as a strategic partner is KKR, a global investment firm.

Dana White will continue his role as UFC president. He also owns 9 percent of the league and will continue a small ownership stake as well once the transaction is finalized.

Basically, everyone is getting super rich. Now we’ll have to see if this money actually trickles down to the fighters.

Josh Helmuth is the editor of Crave Sports. Follow him on Twitter or like the channel on Facebook here.

Josh is originally from the small berg of Arthur, Ill, proudly the Amish capital of the state. It also has one hell of a pumpkin patch.

Josh has enjoyed dipping his toes into a variety of careers since graduating from the University of Alabama, the most rewarding thus far having served as a youth director in southern California for four years, and his broadcasting career which has garnered two Emmy awards and three Edward R. Murrow Awards.

Josh enjoys loud rock music, Tom Hanks movies, dogs that like to cuddle and long runs. He is also always in search for America's greatest cheeseburger. Follow him here if you would like to be friends!