WWE and UFC Set to Merge Under One Company

WWE and UFC are set to merge under one company led by former Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel as CEO and Vince McMahon as executive chairman.

As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, World Wrestling Entertainment and UFC’s Endeavor will form under a new company, Endeavor Group Holdings World Wrestling Entertainment, operating under the ticker symbol of TKO. Endeavor will hold a 51% controlling interest while WWE shareholders will hold 49%.

“This is a rare opportunity to create a global live sports and entertainment pureplay built for where the industry is headed,” Emanuel said. “For decades, Vince and his team have demonstrated an incredible track record of innovation and shareholder value creation, and we are confident that Endeavor can deliver significant additional value for shareholders by bringing UFC and WWE together.”

McMahon weighed in too, saying he believes “this is without a doubt the best outcome for our shareholders and other stakeholders.”

He continued: “Together, we will be a $21-plus billion live sports and entertainment powerhouse with a collective fanbase of more than a billion people and an exciting growth opportunity.

“The new company will be well-positioned to maximize the value of our combined media rights, enhance sponsorship monetization, develop new forms of content, and pursue other strategic mergers and acquisitions to further bolster our strong stable of brands.”

The deal has been unanimously approved by both companies’ board of directors and is expected to close in the second half of this year.

McMahon returned to WWE’s board of directors in January after abruptly retiring from the organisation in 2022 following sexual misconduct allegations claiming he had paid millions of dollars in secret settlements to accusers dating back to 2006.

Image Credit: Alex Bierens de Haan / Stringer via Getty Images

Ryan Dinsdale is an IGN freelancer and acting UK news editor. He’ll talk about The Witcher all day.