Reports yesterday suggested that the UFC had been sold for $4.2 billion, but the company have since issued a statement claiming that’s not true.
Flocombat.com reporter Jeremy Botter was the first to write that according to “multiple sources”, a bid for $4.2 billion from a group involving WME-IMG, the Dalian Wanda Group, The Kraft Group and Tencent Holdings had been accepted by the UFC, while a competing bid from China Media Capital had fallen short of the mark.
Boter also claimed that while the deal would be for 100% of the company, UFC president Dana White would be kept on and given a new stake in the company, while another executive Gary Cook would be retained as the new CEO to replace the departing Lorenzo Fertitta.
Reacting to the news, the UFC issued an internal statement to their employees via Vice President of Public Affairs, Dave Scholler, categorically denying that the report was true.
“A report today by FloCombat.com indicating that the company has been sold is false,” Scholler wrote. “This follows other false speculation in the press recently.
“Such misrepresentation of facts in the media negatively impacts our business, staff members and athletes. We have instructed our attorneys to investigate and take all appropriate legal actions against the parties publishing and contributing to these false stories.
“With International Fight Week and the historic UFC 200 rapidly approaching, we look forward to once again delivering a series of events that our fans won’t soon forget. We appreciate your hard work, diligence and commitment, and thank you for your focus as we continue to take the sport to new heights.”
