00:00 For decades, boxing was the dominant combat sport as fighters like Muhammad Ali and Mike
00:07 Tyson became household names.
00:09 In recent years, MMA has caught up to the sweet science with Jon Jones and Francis Nganou
00:14 joining boxers like Canelo Alvarez and Terrence Crawford as fighters who can sell out arenas
00:19 and pay-per-views.
00:21 Even professional wrestling, long derided as sports entertainment because it's scripted,
00:26 has grown more formidable over the past decade.
00:28 The most high-profile instance in the battle for supremacy was the merger and subsequent
00:33 IPO of UFC and WWE, first and second on this inaugural combat sports list under the name
00:40 TKO Holdings in September 2023.
00:44 To understand how big each of these companies were separately, consider this.
00:49 UFC holds some 40 events annually, reaching more than 900 million households on television
00:55 across 170+ countries.
00:58 While WWE stages more than 200 live events annually, with televised events reaching at
01:03 least 1 billion people on a weekly basis in more than 180 countries.
01:10 The two brands each had media rights revenue of over $800 million, more than triple the
01:16 total revenue of all the other promotions on the list.
01:20 Here are the top 5 most valuable combat sports promotions for 2024.
01:25 At number 5, Matchroom Boxing.
01:29 Renowned for its stable of big-name fighters and a penchant for delivering unforgettable
01:33 match-ups, Matchroom Boxing stands at the forefront of the sport.
01:37 Stars of the sport like Anthony Joshua and Katie Taylor are huge draws for Matchroom,
01:42 with Joshua handily defeating MMA star Frances Ngannou earlier this year.
01:48 Taylor is the current two-weight undisputed world champion and will next fight Amanda
01:53 Serrano on July 20th as the co-main event of the Jake Paul/Mike Tyson card.
01:59 At number 4, One Championship.
02:04 One has a broadcast reach that spans over 190 countries.
02:08 Backed by significant capital raises, One Championship continues to expand its reach
02:13 and impact, solidifying its position as a burgeoning leader in the world of combat sports.
02:19 Top-caliber fighters like Anatoly Malikin and Andrew Lee will be key in helping One
02:24 continue to grow its broadcast reach while the company expands its live events to new
02:28 locations in North America and the Middle East where successful first events have taken
02:33 place over the last several months.
02:36 At number 3, AEW.
02:40 The youngest promotion on the list, AEW, is the premier challenger brand in the professional
02:45 wrestling space.
02:46 It's the first true competition to WWE since the days of WCW in the early 2000s.
02:52 AEW got immediate legitimacy from superstars like Chris Jericho, Kenny Omega, and The Young
02:59 Bucks, while a partnership with New Japan Pro Wrestling and the purchase of Ring of
03:03 Honor have helped the young brand build its roster and match library.
03:08 At number 2, WWE.
03:11 WWE has been the premier name in professional wrestling since it was founded by Vince McMahon
03:17 who purchased what was then known as WWWF from his father in 1982.
03:24 Stars like Hulk Hogan, The Rock, and The Undertaker helped pave the way for WWE to stand in its
03:29 place today.
03:30 WWE reaches more than 1 billion people across the globe with its three weekly television
03:35 shows and holds more than 200 live events every year from Madison Square Garden where
03:40 it got its start to Saudi Arabia where it has held events since 2014.
03:45 And at number 1, UFC.
03:49 With a global reach spanning more than 170 countries, the UFC showcases the finest fighters
03:55 from every corner of the globe, each vying for glory inside the octagon.
04:00 Top fighters like Israel Adesanya and Max Holloway consistently put their bodies on
04:04 the line and put on shows that keep fans coming back.
04:08 UFC 300 was yet another example as Holloway was a trending topic on Twitter for his knockout
04:14 of Justin Gaethje in the final second of their battle.
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