Dana White Explains the Purchase of the WWE

FACTZ

UFC President is now the CEO of UFC as they acquire the WWE - Dana White breaks it down for FACTZ.

Transcript

00:00 What's up legend? Congratulations. Big week. How does it feel?

00:03 I mean this is pretty insane. How does it feel? You're at Wall Street right now.

00:06 This is a... Did you see it coming?

00:08 Yeah! I mean this is the second time we've been here but it's good.

00:12 I mean we keep, you know, every year we get bigger, every year we get better.

00:16 This relationship is going to be interesting.

00:19 What does this mean for the UFC? How is it going to change things?

00:22 Are the viewers going to be seeing anything different? What's going to happen?

00:24 Yeah, it doesn't change anything. I'm going to still do what I do.

00:26 They're going to do what they do and Ari is going to do what he does.

00:30 And, you know, I'm sure it's going to work out just fine.

00:33 Do you still have a final say or have the majority say?

00:35 Yeah, you know, I'm the CEO of the UFC now.

00:38 So Ari has stepped down and Ari is the CEO of TKO.

00:42 And yeah, no, I still control everything.

00:44 Do you report to Ari?

00:46 Yeah, yeah, yeah.

00:47 Okay.

00:47 And these guys are going to do what they do and we're going to kick a bunch of asses like we always do.

00:54 Do you actually... Are you going to work alongside WWE?

00:56 Are you going to be promoting WWE shows on UFC?

00:58 Well, our teams are going to, you know, our teams are going to work together.

01:01 Basically, what Ari brings to the table for the WWE is he'll, you know, more sponsorship, licensing,

01:08 you know, new television contracts and the synergies between us and WWE.

01:13 There's some stuff with production that we can do to save costs for them

01:17 and make this thing incredibly successful.

01:20 Will you see any crossover between UFC stars going to WWE or UFC stars?

01:23 Well, we have. I mean, we have in the past.

01:25 Not unless... Not unless it fits or they, you know, like Ronda Rousey.

01:30 She always wanted to wrestle in the WWE.

01:33 So she did.

01:34 She was good enough to do it.

01:35 Brock Lesnar wanted to fight in the UFC.

01:37 He did because he was good enough to do it.

01:39 Those will be the scenarios.

01:41 So is this a good thing for UFC fighters where now they have the easier transition,

01:45 where they have that escape, they want to leave the UFC?

01:48 Yeah, I would say so.

01:49 Yeah.

01:50 And they probably get great tickets to the WWE.

01:52 So yeah, I mean, yeah.

01:54 It's not a bad thing.

01:56 Back to UFC, here's what I'll assign you.

01:58 What's next for him?

01:59 Obviously, this was a tough decision.

01:59 I'm literally flying back to Vegas right now to figure out what's next

02:03 and a co-main event for New York.

02:06 I'm going to get done today too.

02:07 You're going to get the co-main event.

02:08 So John Jones, obviously, but there's going to be another main event.

02:10 Yeah, there'll be a co-main.

02:11 Yeah, I'm going to work on that today as soon as I get back to Vegas.

02:14 Is there any... Can you give us any ideas?

02:16 I have no idea.

02:16 I'm going to go do it today.

02:18 How's Conor doing?

02:19 What's it looking like for him right now?

02:20 He's good.

02:21 He's good.

02:21 He's in a good place.

02:23 He wants to fight next year.

02:24 Next year?

02:26 So it's not going to happen...

02:27 He wants to fight this year, but I think it's going to happen next year.

02:29 Who do you think is the next breakout star on the UFC?

02:31 The one you think personally he's really going to take over?

02:33 Everyone should keep their eyes on.

02:35 I don't know, man.

02:36 There's some guys out there right now.

02:38 Dreykus De Plessis is in there.

02:40 Hamzat Shumayev is a huge star, but he could possibly fight for a world title here soon.

02:45 You've got Sugar Shown O'Malley, who just won Strickland.

02:49 Nobody gave a shit about Strickland a week ago.

02:51 Now he's hot as can be.

02:53 That's the thing with this sport.

02:54 First of all, in boxing, when a guy who's a 7-1 underdog is fighting, he loses every time.

03:01 The 7-1 dog loses every time.

03:03 Not in this sport.

03:04 Anything's possible in this sport.

03:06 Last week, Strickland, everybody was like, "Oh, this fight sucks.

03:10 This is bullshit."

03:11 Now everybody's swinging on him, you know what I mean?

03:13 And he's the man.

03:14 Lastly, Sugar, what's next for him?

03:16 Do you think he...

03:16 I saw that Aljamain said, "Hey, you want to fight next?"

03:18 But Sugar said no.

03:19 I don't know.

03:19 Yeah, we're still working on all that stuff.

03:21 I hear you.

03:22 Listen, congratulations.

03:23 I'm excited for you as a UFC fan for a long time.

03:25 I appreciate it.

03:26 Good to see you too.

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