The merger between the UFC and WWE is now official as both companies have come together to form TKO Group Holdings (TKO on New York Stock Exchange).
Endeavor CEO Ari Emmanuel rang the bell to open trading at the NYSE on Tuesday morning with WWE chairman Vince McMahon and UFC president Dana White. Joining there were WWE executives Paul Levesque, also known by his ring name Triple H, and Nick Khan. The UFC contingent also included former two-division champion Daniel Cormier.
The merger combines two of the largest entertainment companies in the world. World Wrestling Entertainment on the sports entertainment side and the UFC on the combat sports side. Emmanuel has maintained that, even though the companies are now under the TKO umbrella, they will continue to operate independently.
Watch the group ring the bell at NYSE this morning, below.
Shares kicked off Tuesday morning at $102 per share of $TKO on the NYSE.
Emmanuel released a statement on the merger.
“The creation of TKO marks an exciting new chapter for UFC and WWE as leaders in global sports and entertainment. Given their continued connectivity to the Endeavor network, we are confident in our ability to accelerate their respective growth and unlock long-term sustainable value for shareholders. With UFC and WWE under one roof, we will provide unrivaled experiences for more than a billion passionate fans worldwide.”
