Below you can watch ESPN’s First Take panel discuss the UFC’s $4 billion sale to WME | IMG and assess how the sport has managed to become such a success story in recent years.
It’s not all that long ago that you’d have seen talking heads look to take pot shots at the UFC, so it’s refreshing to see all three panelists taking such a positive stance regarding the sport’s growth.
In all fairness though, it’s kind of hard to take pot shots at the UFC right now after achieving the biggest franchise sale in sporting history!
Some of their analysis and understanding of MMA hit wide of the mark though, such as stating that the woman had co-main event status at UFC 200 on Saturday night, when actually Miesha Tate Vs Amanda Nunes was the main event, and the discussion at the end regarding decisions being more clear cut in MMA than in boxing, which isn’t always the case.
Still, it’s always nice to see the sport getting positive coverage, and this mega-deal has helped legitimize the sport and quieten down the naysayers, at least for the time being!
