Five months after Endeavor Investment Group, the investment group that owns the UFC, acquired the WWE wrestling league, shares of the combined TKO company were listed on the New York Stock Exchange and Dana White, who until then had served as UFC president, was named the promotion’s CEO.
“I’m excited about our future and what we’re going to do,” White said at a press conference in Las Vegas. “We’re a lot stronger after the merger than we were even yesterday. I will still define everything that happens in the UFC, nothing changes in that sense. We’re going to continue to kick ass like we do every year.”
“For the fighters, the media and everyone involved, it’s all taking it to a new level. Everything becomes more significant and more powerful. If we’re talking about things that I plan to do before my time is up, it’s all a lot easier to accomplish today.”
The combined company is valued at a total of $21.4 billion, with the UFC accounting for $12.1 billion and WWE for $9.3 billion.