Vince McMahon Believed To Have Used His Influence To Snag Huge UFC Saudi Arabian Deal

WWE and UFC’s merger changed the combat sports landscape, and it appears that huge money deals are going to result from that merger. This could include a massive event in Saudi Arabia, where UFC is making a ton to host a Fight Night event.

Saudi Arabia is confirmed as the host for an upcoming UFC Fight Night event in March 2024. That big money deal could have come with a lot of help from WWE’s Chairman of the Board, Vince McMahon.

This development follows the recent merger between MMA promotion and WWE, resulting in the formation of TKO under Endeavor’s publicly traded entity. As part of this merger, Vince McMahon was appointed as the Executive Chairman of TKO and is expected to have a role in UFC’s daily operations. UFC CEO Dana White confirmed McMahon’s active involvement, describing him as a valuable partner who has already made significant contributions to the UFC brand.

The Wrestling Observer Newsletter went on to suggest that Vince McMahon’s relationship with the Saudi government may have played a role in UFC securing this significant deal, akin to WWE’s ongoing agreement with the Middle Eastern nation.

Those in WWE had told us that Vince was involved in UFC’s new deal with Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia had been interested in MMA in the past and had made a huge offer to Khabib Nurmagomedov to come out of retirement but Nurmagomedov decided against it. But Vince’s relationships there helped UFC close a similar big money deal.”

“He also said, “HHH and Stephanie have always been great to work with. I’ve always had a great relationship with them, always, even when we weren’t aligned back in the day. But the most amazing story is the relationship with Vince McMahon.” He also said, “Vince McMahon, man, he’s an absolute savage. Even with the stuff that went down with us in the past, I respect it. I love killers. He’s definitely a killer. He’s the Michael Jordan of the business world.”

ESPN’s Marc Raimondi previously reported that the upcoming UFC event is part of Saudi Arabia’s Riyadh Season festival, with Dana White expected to announce the fight card in the coming months. The article also highlighted WWE’s lucrative partnership with Saudi Arabia, which may have influenced UFC’s decision to hold an event in the country. Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia, is hosting various high-profile events, including the Tyson Fury vs. Francis Ngannou bout and the upcoming WWE Crown Jewel premium live event.

We will have to see how WWE and UFC’s business dealings intertwine in the months to come. Obviously, there is a lot to unpack here, because they used to be in very stiff competition with each other. WWE has tried to steal top names from UFC in the past, including one huge force within the company.

What do you think about this story about WWE and UFC? Do you think the merger benefits both companies already? Let us know what you think about this in the comments section!