A combined streaming deal could possibly be in the future for World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) and the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).
Key Details
- The UFC’s parent company Endeavor Group recently acquired WWE in a $9.3 billion deal and plans to combine WWE and the UFC into a new publicly traded company—TKO.
- WWE’s streaming deal with NBCUniversal’s Peacock expires in 2026, and UFC’s media deal with ESPN expires in 2025.
- The two will have separate media rights negotiations for linear TV but could possibly have a combined streaming deal after the expiration of the current deals, according to WWE CEO Nick Khan.
- UFC’s YouTube following is more than the NFL and MLB combined—and WWE has six times more subscribers than UFC, The Hustle reports.
Why it’s news
After several months of looking for a buyer, WWE has secured a $9.3 billion deal, but will now be combined with UFC and possibly land a combined streaming spot.
UFC’s parent company Endeavor Group recently acquired WWE in a $9.3 billion deal and plans to combine the two fighting giants into one publicly traded company with the moniker TKO.
The official name has not been finalized, but the company says it is close to deciding and will announce it in the coming weeks.
As for broadcasting, WWE CEO Nick Khan says a combined streaming deal is a possibility in the future, but the two companies will have separate media rights for traditional TV for the time being.
Regarding the possibility of a combined streaming deal, Khan says, “The good folks at NBCU have been tremendous partners to us. So let’s see what they have to say.”
WWE’s current linear TV rights deal with NBCUniversal, and Fox Corp. expires next year, while its streaming deal with NBCUniversal’s Peacock expires in 2026. UFC signed a five-year TV contract with ESPN in 2019 that was extended through 2025.
Regarding WWE’s TV deal, Khan said he wanted to respect the company’s current partners, Fox and NBC. “The most important thing is that NBC and Fox, from a WWE point of view, feel respected in the process,” says Khan. “So, we’re going to enter those conversations with them.”
Khan says that NBCU and Fox will be given the right to first refusal for WWE’s programming. “If we’re not able to do that, we’ll see what the marketplace has to say and ultimately choose the right partner for the WWE audience in our shareholders,” he says.
WWE SALE
WWE has been looking for a buyer for several months before deciding on Endeavor Group to complete the $9.3 billion deal.
Khan confirmed that multiple companies placed a bid to purchase the wrestling giant. “There were many terrific bidders, and ultimately, the decision was made that this was the right opportunity for our shareholders and our company,” he says.
Now that Endeavor is combining the UFC and WWE, many have become concerned about layoffs throughout the WWE, and Khan says they are not sure yet.
“An integration team is going to be put into place between both companies in short order, and we’ll know—we’ll have a lot more in the next week or two,” he states.
Other news
WWE has also been talking with state gambling regulators to allow fans to bet on its scripted matches.
The wrestling company says it is working to secure match results to ensure they do not leak to the public by working with Ernst & Young (EY) and not informing wrestlers who will win until hours before the match.
If regulators accept, fans can place bets on high-profile WWE matches on top sports betting apps, and it could open the door for bets on other programs with pre-calculated endings, such as certain award shows and TV programs.