Dana White UFC Sale Price and Structure
Dana White sold UFC as part of the broader Zuffa buyout in 2016 for a reported $4 billion to a group led by Endeavor, then known as WME-IMG, and Silver Lake Partners Forbes. The deal included a controlling equity stake, with Dana White retained as president and given a minority ownership stake and long-term employment contract.
The transaction valued UFC at roughly $4 billion based on enterprise value, with cash, debt assumptions, and equity split among Zuffa founders Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta III, Dana White, and the new ownership group Bloomberg. White's personal payout was structured as a mix of cash, equity, and performance-linked incentives tied to UFC growth targets.
UFC Valuation, Revenue, and Ownership Timeline
By 2016, UFC had grown into a multi-billion-dollar enterprise with annual revenues estimated above $600 million and a global pay-per-view and broadcast footprint Forbes. The sale marked the exit of the Fertitta brothers, who had bought UFC in 2001 for roughly $2 million and built it into a premier combat sports brand.
Post-Sale Ownership and Later Valuation
In 2021, Endeavor took UFC public via a SPAC merger, and the company was later rebranded as TKO Group Holdings, with UFC as its flagship property SEC. As of the latest public filings, TKO Group's market capitalization has placed the implied UFC enterprise value well above the original $4 billion sale price, reflecting growth in media rights, sponsorships, and events.
Dana White's Role After the Sale
Dana White remained UFC president after the sale and received a reported minority equity stake, with compensation structured around salary, bonuses, and long-term incentives linked to UFC performance Bloomberg. His continued leadership has been central to UFC's expansion into new markets, digital platforms, and crossover events with boxing and entertainment.
Under White's continued presidency, UFC signed major media deals, expanded its event calendar, and launched UFC Fight Pass, contributing to higher revenues and a stronger valuation for the promotion Forbes. The combination of the original $4 billion sale and subsequent public-market growth illustrates the scale of value created from the UFC transaction.