The world of combat sports has shown its fans a lot of paradoxes. From dearest friends turning to blood-thirsty enemies to combat sports promotions failing to continue operations. Fight fans have witnessed some of the most unexpected things happen within minutes and seconds. A similarly paradoxical recent incident might have startled a lot of combat sports fans. A large chunk of combat sports fans might know about the unsaid competition between two premier sports promotions in the world, the WWE and the UFC.

Hence, the recent revelation of UFC’s parent company, ‘Endeavor’ acquiring 51% of WWE’s total shares might have taken aback a lot of fans. Understandably, this unthinkable move also triggered a lot of questions among the fans. Some were worried about how this merger might affect the operational procedures of the promotions. While there were various other questions as well that ruled the mind of fans following this paradoxical merger. Here will try to cast light on some of the major talking points post this grand merger of fight promotions.

UFC and WWE will team up to form a $21.4 billion sports entertainment company

There will hardly be any combat sports fan contradicting that the WWE and the UFC are the biggest combat sports promotions in this world. Hence, it was understandable that a merger between these two would build up something having a hefty worth.

Still, a lot might have been taken aback by the announcement that the WWE-UFC merger will form an insane $21.4B sports entertainment company. However, the organization has also highlighted the opportunities to grow its revenues from both WWE and UFC. Reports also revealed that the newly formed $21.4B sports entertainment giant had been named ‘NewCo’.

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How can the UFC and WWE work together? Will there be a crossover? 

Well, it can’t be said that WWE and UFC authorities were looking forward to working under the same umbrella. But as fate has it, they ended up being in a similar situation. Previously, the UFC president, Dana White, had presented the UFC audiences with a not-so-pleasant experience which he had after visiting WrestleMania 34.

He also stated how he refrained from treating the McMahons in the same way. White revealed that he had arranged superior quality seats when the McMahon family and Triple H visited the UFC 276. A lot might take White’s words as an indication of the not-so-sweet relationship between the UFC and WWE supremos. In such situations, a crossover might have resulted in a clash of ideas between the UFC president and the WWE founder.

However, White provided further clarification about this issue in an interview with ‘AP News’. The ’53-year-old’ also laid stress on the differences between the athletes and the operations of the UFC and the WWE. Owing to all of these factors, White revealed, “there won’t really be any type of crossover”.

It may be simplified as the UFC operating as per its own schedule and the WWE following its own, but both promotions would be managed by the same organization.

Dana White will remain the UFC President

Although this new venture from Endeavor is supposed to cause no changes in the operational structure of the promotions. It will have some major alterations in the power structure of the newly formed ‘NewCo’.

However, the UFC president, Dana White, doesn’t necessarily need to be worried about all of these. The ’55-year-old’ won’t be subjected to any change in his position at ‘NewCo’. Even after this touted merger, Dana White will see himself at the same stature, i.e. as the UFC President.

Nick Khan will be the WWE President

It may be said that this grand WWE-UFC merger didn’t interfere much with the persons holding presidential positions in the promotions. Alike Dana White holding the UFC’s presidential roles even after the merger, WWE president, Nick Khan, also retained his position.

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It was the ‘Endeavor’ CEO, Ari Emanuel, who revealed the roles of Khan And White. He was interviewed by CNBC on 3 April where he made these iterations.

Vince McMahon will serve as the Executive Chairman of the Board

Emanuel’s CNBC interview on Monday also contained a lot of other information about the power structure to be followed in the newly formed ‘NewCo’. Along with a clarification about the presidential roles in the company, ‘Endeavor’ CEO also described that the former WWE CEO, Vince McMahon, would be operating as the Executive Chairman of the organization.

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A lot of fans might get confused by such heavy organizational terms being used to describe the power structure of ‘NewCo’. To simplify things, it may be said that Ari Emanuel was the supremo of ‘NewCo’, followed by Vince McMahon as the Executive Chairman, who could also be called the second most powerful person in the company.

It also meant that any major decisions regarding the company had to be approved by Vince McMahon as well. Now, since the entire UFC was also a part of ‘NewCo’ where Vince McMahon was the second most important person, it evidently meant that ‘Mr. McMahon’ can choose to get involved in issues related to the UFC as well.

How do you see this aspect of the merger?

Vince McMahon Holds A Higher Position Than Dana White In The New Endeavor Hierarchy

A lot of fans might be a bit startled by the fact that Dana White will now work under Vince McMahon. The WWE founder boasts a superior position than the UFC president in the power structure of ‘NewCo’.

But after taking a deeper look, it may be understood that this phenomenon of White being placed under McMahon was nothing surprising. The WWE founder previously held all the shares of the company. However, at the time of his retirement in 2022, his percentage of shares dropped. Yet, he was still the leading stakeholder in the company. Reports also suggest that due to his shares in the WWE, ‘Mr. McMahon’ will also hold about 19% of the total shares of ‘NewCo’.

On the other hand, the UFC president, Dana White, started off by owning 9% of the total shares of UFC. However, post ‘Endeavor’s’ acquisition of the UFC in 2016, White didn’t have any more ownership rights. He continued to serve just as the president of the organization.

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Now that the promotions have been merged after ‘Endeavor’s acquisition of the majority of WWE’s shares, it is Vince McMahon’s ownership percentage in the WWE that provided him with such a superior position in the newly formed ‘NewCo’. While Dana White, who had given up his UFC ownership to Endeavor previously, didn’t see any change in his position.

Do you think that this merger will prove out to be beneficial for each promotion?