Among the myriad of questions regarding the UFC sale, only one is significant: what does this mean for the future of the world’s premier MMA promotion?
For now, it’s hard to decipher what kind of transparent changes will be made. But there is a distinct impression that the $4 billion takeover by WME-IMG is the dawn of a new era.
And it is one which will be shorn of one of its most influential figures – Lorenzo Fertitta. Confirmation that president Dana White will remain as the UFC’s visible face is a sharp move, but in reality it’s a necessity.
White’s presence will ensure the transition is a much smoother process and given the volatile nature of MMA that is a decisive decision.
With White in the driving seat the outward impact is less substantial but internally changes are brewing.
Feritta and White have been a dynamic duo at the heart of this brand. One is the fervent face of the UFC, the man who convinced his billionaire buddies Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta to buy the fading company for just $2 million in 2001.
The other possesses the business sagacity and visionary to rouse the once decaying promotion to the unprecedented levels of mainstream success we see today. The chairman’s role has been vastly underrated. His passion for the sport is undeniable but his ability to focus on the future has been essential, giving the UFC an edge over its competitors.
He understood the importance of unearthing individual talents and gave the likes of Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor the platform to become global icons. More importantly, Fertitta gave the UFC an identity. For a long time the promotion was searching for a personality with which a global audience would appreciate.
It has now settled into its current state, as a sport not a spectacle. And that was his vision. Fertitta’s personal friendship with White formed the formula for success. Now that recipe loses a key ingredient.
The new ownership is expected to take a minimal approach to the day-to-day operation meaning White will pick up much of the slack. Though the UFC’s journey onto a mainstream platform will continue at full steam, without Lorenzo at the helm, the ship’s route to that destination could be via a different course.
