UFC and WWE merge to create $21.4B sports company

UFC and WWE are merging to create a $21.4 billion sports entertainment company.

[{"selector":"#anim-684d4bc1-b92a-4bb8-b0ca-78e712444bb0 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(3.923414940364078%, 21.1864406779661%) scale(1.423728813559322)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0f8624cc-19de-43cd-a1ba-e894a4557f5a","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-ebea652f-2737-481f-be3e-ab373bfa9566","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -802.64563%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] UFC's Holding Company Endeavor will own 51% controlling interest in the new company, while existing WWE shareholders will hold a 49% stake.

[{"selector":"#anim-ce6501a7-60b2-4484-84ea-655b3eaae2fb [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(1.1013412404281553e-12%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-306a3ba4-ffcb-4909-b137-8af6b66c37bf","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-00c57c59-6863-4dea-9ed6-bf961dca84b7","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 236.86876%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] 1. The enterprise value of UFC is $12.1 billion and WWE's value is $9.3 billion.

[{"selector":"#anim-4fe4b346-d655-4cbf-824e-a5a8e7726096 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(14.673913586336402%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-c2fe0b0f-bd95-45c7-878b-ec16e37c8aad","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-1a1e4868-3198-4f21-98ad-7d39ac5a990f","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -802.64563%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The new company, led by Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel and Vince McMahon, will be a live sports and entertainment powerhouse with over a billion fans.

[{"selector":"#anim-431b3303-7ca1-4950-b34f-eed545e0b95c [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-0.2754965951712478%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-4d5b2b18-38e4-4193-8f6c-cfda31934b7f","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-f7f3a061-903d-43a7-ae71-9e0510723e80","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 171.69317%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The merger comes after McMahon, founder and majority shareholder of WWE, returned to the company in January and said it could be up for sale.

[{"selector":"#anim-f8ce0349-68fa-40e8-a442-714578c8811f [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-2.4868995751603507e-13%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-994d4ada-a8ae-4c35-bc2d-b6d49b1acab3","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-69f23612-6232-4959-a963-39e4fe00e1f8","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -1048.78442%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] WWE was considered an attractive acquisition target due to its global reach and loyal fanbase.

[{"selector":"#anim-c11d5339-50c6-4643-8c9a-7ca8e3fe3cae [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-10.933260750464887%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-695dab4d-3c09-49e4-9391-5203dbda27c8","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-159ceb43-3152-413c-9ab4-d2089917ff09","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 194.09714%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The new company plans to trade on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol "TKO."

[{"selector":"#anim-6be56923-6b33-4d4e-acfe-c250d2c80da4 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(-0.6675505221408095%, -19.412014583658042%) scale(1.3968253968253967)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7c7c2385-7958-4c68-b7db-0f30ae657557","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0e45a925-6977-48ce-a097-41543f752690","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 189.40970%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The board of directors will have 11 members, with six appointed by Endeavor and five by WWE.

[{"selector":"#anim-9a3db5d6-95a9-4630-ad42-ccae35b24cb3 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(-12.499999772451451%, 0, 0) translate(-25%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate3d(0%, 0, 0) translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-0abedf8d-ed08-4303-94ab-e98d1af91f29","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-7193181b-ddb5-408a-8803-11b9a7f60557","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -1048.78442%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] The transaction was approved by the boards of Endeavor and WWE and is targeted to close in the second half of the year.

[{"selector":"#anim-4d09d7d4-3ca9-43ab-bbed-decd810bef6b [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-d203b740-c865-4a1a-bb22-291606eee227","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-871bae16-436a-43d4-9e14-d8e860394176","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, -1048.78442%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] Shares of WWE fell more than 8% before the opening bell, while shares of Endeavor rose nearly 3%.

[{"selector":"#anim-5892bb28-1071-4fa4-b91c-dc736c1b9322 [data-leaf-element=\"true\"]","keyframes":{"transform":["translate(0%, 0%) scale(1.5)","translate(0%, 0%) scale(1)"]},"delay":0,"duration":2000,"easing":"cubic-bezier(.3,0,.55,1)","fill":"forwards"}] [{"selector":"#anim-abddab6a-3149-4252-ba3a-74bd223d197b","keyframes":{"opacity":[0,1]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] [{"selector":"#anim-17d5e01f-3346-4afe-98d2-e1244ff5eafa","keyframes":{"transform":["translate3d(0px, 174.64386%, 0)","translate3d(0px, 0px, 0)"]},"delay":0,"duration":600,"easing":"cubic-bezier(0.2, 0.6, 0.0, 1)","fill":"both"}] WWE is a social media powerhouse with over 16 billion social video views, 94 million YouTube subscribers, and more than 20 million followers on TikTok.