Ultimate Fighting Championship

Ultimate Fighting Championship is a mixed martial arts (MMA) company operating in the United States, based in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

The UFC promotion was founded on November 12, 1993 by Art Davie, Bob Meyrowitz, Campbell McLaren, David Isaacs, John Milius, Rorion Gracie.

It is the world's largest MMA promotion as of 2023 and is operated by TKO Group Holdings, a majority-owned subsidiary of Endeavor Group Holdings. The UFC features 11 weight divisions (eight men's and three women's) and adheres to the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. As of 2024, it has hosted over 700 events.

Founded in 1993 by businessman Art Davie and Brazilian martial artist Rorion Gracie, the UFC initially aimed to determine the most effective martial art with minimal rules and no weight classes. Over time, the organization introduced more structured rules and saw fighters adopting techniques from various disciplines, contributing to the evolution of mixed martial arts.

The UFC was originally owned by Semaphore Entertainment Group (SEG) but faced financial difficulties. It was acquired in 2001 by the Fertitta brothers, Frank and Lorenzo, who created Zuffa to run the UFC and appointed Dana White as president. Under White's leadership, the UFC expanded significantly, becoming a multi-billion-dollar enterprise. In 2016, Zuffa sold UFC to a group led by Endeavor (formerly WME–IMG) for $4.025 billion. Endeavor later bought out Zuffa’s other investors in 2021.

The UFC has expanded globally, securing major TV deals and achieving significant revenue, including a $1.5 billion media rights agreement with ESPN. In April 2023, UFC merged with WWE to form TKO Group Holdings, a new public company majority-owned by Endeavor, with Dana White continuing as UFC president. The merger was finalized on September 12, 2023.

Ultimate Fighting Championship: Info