Endeavor Group Holdings has announced the successful merger of UFC, the mixed martial arts promotion, and WWE, the sports entertainment giant. This powerhouse combination, unveiled in April, is now a publicly listed company trading on the New York Stock Exchange. The new entity, known as TKO Group Holdings, brings together two globally renowned sports and entertainment brands, UFC and WWE. As the news began to pour in on social media, WWE star John Cena took to “X” (Twitter) to congratulate everyone involved in this merger.
John Cena sends his messages on the “massive” merger
John Cena took to X (formerly Twitter) to talk about the historic merger. He extended his best wishes to everybody involved in the merger. According to him, this massive announcement is a special moment in the world of sports entertainment.
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He tweeted, “Another historic moment in the evolution of the sports-entertainment industry. Congratulations to everyone involved in today’s massive announcement.”, weighing in on the fact that this merger will open new horizons for the sports entertainment industry.
After this merger, Endeavour is said to have a 51% share, thus putting it in control. WWE will have 49% of the share. Vince McMahon will still continue to be the chairperson of the promotion. On the other hand, Dana White will continue his role as UFC president. The company will appoint a new board of directors.
Another historic moment in the evolution of the sports-entertainment industry. Congratulations to everyone involved in today’s massive announcement. @Endeavor @WWE @UFC
📸: @arielhelwani pic.twitter.com/QJMihxm4I3
— John Cena (@JohnCena) September 12, 2023
A total of 11 board of directors will be there, out of which six will be representing Endeavour and five will be representing WWE. This takeover by Endeavor group brought an end to Vince McMahon’s sole ownership of WWE after 41 years.
As this merger was announced earlier this year, fans were speculating how it will affect WWE. However, according to reports and theories, this might work in favor of both the media giants
What does this merger mean?
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In terms of operations, there will be few changes. Nick Khan will continue to serve as WWE president, and Dana White will continue to serve as UFC president. However, both corporations have key events and media deals coming up. WrestleMania 40 will be held in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania in April 2024. The event’s tickets sold out in less than 24 hours, shattering the WWE’s all-time gate record of $21.5 million.
UFC 300 will be held in the spring of 2024. With many fans and athletes speculating about who would compete, the event is likely to be a huge draw for the fighting promotion. The UFC’s current broadcast partnership with ESPN+ will expire in 2025. WWE’s SmackDown and RAW television contracts with Fox and USA Network expire in 2024.
There is also a possibility that the new TKO firm may launch a single streaming service for UFC and WWE content.
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