UFC CEO Dana White is unconcerned about the competition from PFL’s acquisition of Bellator, dismissing the merger as insignificant and maintaining that UFC remains the biggest and most profitable MMA promotion.
Dana White isn’t exactly shaking in his boots over PFL’s recent acquisition of Bellator. He’s not losing any sleep over it, that’s for sure.
The deal was sealed and Donn Davis, the founder of PFL, was quick to announce that this merger would put them on par with the UFC. He even went so far as to suggest that White was “worried” about the new competition.
But, the UFC CEO isn’t impressed. PFL may have a deeper roster now, boasting stars like Francis Ngannou and Jake Paul, but White remains unfazed. He doesn’t see this as a legitimate threat to the UFC, not by a long shot.
White’s reaction to the news? “It’s f****** hilarious,” he said during the UFC Austin post-fight press conference. He added, “Good for them. I wish them all the luck in the world.”
He’s sticking to his guns, too. When rumors first surfaced about Bellator being up for sale and PFL being the likely buyer, White didn’t see the value. His opinion hasn’t changed now that the sale has gone through.
Meanwhile, the UFC continues to break records. On the same night that the University of Texas competed in the Big 12 championship game, the UFC delivered another record-breaking card in Austin. White doesn’t see much from PFL or Bellator to convince him that his promotion has anything to worry about.
White’s take on the situation? “One s***** organization that sells no tickets and nobody watches buys another s***** organization that sells no tickets and nobody watches. Sounds like a f***** winner to me. Woo!”
When pressed further about the merger posing a potential threat to the UFC, White simply asked, “What do you think of their ticket sales … what do you think of their TV ratings?”
The UFC remains the biggest and most profitable MMA promotion by a significant margin. And that gap could widen even more. The promotion is expected to begin negotiations on a new broadcast deal in 2024 that could be worth multi-billions.
Currently, ESPN is the exclusive provider for the UFC, including pay-per-views — just like PFL. But what will happen with the new deal is still up in the air. It could potentially set the UFC apart from any other combat sports promotion and put them even closer to major sports leagues like the NFL, NBA, and Major League Baseball.