Four Potential Buyers Reportedly Interested in Purchasing UFC For Upwards Of $4 Billion

The multi-billion dollar empire that we know as the UFC is about to be sold according to a report from ESPN. Owners Dana White, the Fertitta Brothers and the Abu Dhabi government are in “advanced negotiations” with at least four potential buyers with the price tag being upwards of $4 billion.

From ESPN:

At least four bidders — including WME/IMG, China Media Capital, The Blackstone Group and Dalian Wanda Group — are believed to have submitted bids for the organization. The winning bid, should things proceed, is expected to be for a valuation of in between $3.5 billion and $4 billion, multiple sources with knowledge of the negotiations told ESPN.com.

Two Chinese companies are in the race with Dalian Wanda considered to be the leaders:

The leader in the bid to buy the biggest mixed martial arts business in the world is said to be Chinese-based conglomerate Dalian Wanda Group, sources said. Its chairman Wang Jianlin is the richest man in China, worth nearly $35 billion, according to Forbes Magazine.

The company has been slowly been getting into sports. Last year, Wanda bought a 20 percent stake in soccer superpower Atletico Madrid for a reported $48 million. In March, amidst the FIFA scandal, the company agreed to sign on as a FIFA partner, the highest level of sponsorship, through 2030.

As a UFC fan, I’m not sure how I feel about this. White is a big factor of what makes the company great. He’s the perfect leader for this company and has been since it’s beginning. Changing ownership in any business is always a risky move and I just hope it doesn’t affect the current product.

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