Abel “The Weeknd” Tesfaye, Adam Levine, Anthony Kiedis, Ben Affleck, Calvin Harris, Cam Newton, Conan O’Brien, Flea, Guy Fieri, Jimmy Kimmel, Li Na, LL COOL J, Maria Sharapova, Mark Wahlberg, Michael Bay, Rob Dyrdek, Robert Kraft, Serena Williams, Sylvester Stallone, Tom Brady, Trey Parker, Tyler Perry and Venus Williams were announced as the latest to join UFC’s ownership group. In July 2016, global entertainment and sports leader WME | IMG – joined by Silver Lake Partners, KKR, MSD Capital, L.P. and MSD Partners, L.P. – announced it would acquire UFC®, the world’s premier professional mixed martial arts (MMA) organization. IMMAF President Kerrith Brown took the opportunity to extend a warm welcome and comment on what the groundbreaking development could mean for MMA, not only at the professional pinnacle, but also for the amateur and grass roots level. “This is a great endorsement for the sport of MMA that adds another step to the pathway available to UFC athletes following their sporting careers. As athletes we know that the window for a competitive career at the highest level is short, and the new UFC owners can open doors to exciting pathways beyond sport. “The enthusiasm shown by WME/IMG will not only streamline brand awareness of the UFC, but also enhance the credibility and reputation of our sport as a whole via the endorsement of incredibly influential figures who are now UFC stakeholders. The benefits of this will be felt throughout the sport. And I’m certain that there are further benefits to come: It will be in the interest of such partners to contribute to maintaining the sport’s integrity and supporting its continued development. Equally, by welcoming these exciting new investors, we can all be certain that the world is enjoying MMA.“ By IMMAF.org lead writer and website manager, Jorden Curran]]>
