UFC Reportedly Close to Being Sold for Up to $4 Billion

Zuffa LLC, which owns the UFC, is reportedly nearing a deal to sell the mixed martial arts company.

According to a Tuesday report from ESPN.com's Darren Rovell, Zuffa is "in advanced talks to sell the business" for between $3.5 and $4 billion, with bidders such as WME/IMG, The Blackstone Group, China Media Capital and Dalian Wanda Group listed among the prospective buyers.

"As a private company, we don't discuss speculation or rumors related to our business," said Dave Sholler, vice president of public relations and athlete marketing for the UFC, according to Rovell.

UFC President Dana White denied UFC was for sale, per Adam Hill of the Las Vegas Review-Journal, saying on Tuesday, “The UFC is not for sale. The ESPN story is overblown. Darren Rovell is not a fan of facts. His facts could not be further off."

However, Rovell defended his report on Twitter: 

White continued to deny the UFC was for sale during a Wednesday appearance on The Dan Patrick Show, saying the company was "working on a deal," adding that there are "confidentiality deals involved," via Ariel Helwani of MMAFighting.com.

On Wednesday, Jeremy Botter of FloSports, citing two sources, reported the potential sale is in the "due diligence" phase.

Rovell added bid books were sent by The Raine Group in March, and information was still being shared with bidders this week. 

Zuffa LLC reportedly purchased the UFC for $2 million in 2001.

Citing sources, Rovell reported Dalian Wanda Group is the leader to make the winning bid, with company chairman Wang Jianlin—the richest man in China—leading the charge.

According to Forbes, the self-made billionaire from Beijing already owns plenty of properties in the entertainment space. Among them, Dalian Wanda purchased the AMC movie theater chain for $2.6 billion in 2013, and he bought Legendary Entertainment for $3.5 billion in January.

Rovell reported that Dalian Wanda last year acquired a 20 percent stake in Spanish soccer power and 2015-16 UEFA Champions League finalist Atletico Madrid for $48 million. Forbes noted that Jianlin's company last year purchased the organizer of Ironman Triathlons for $650 million.

Given the direction Dalian Wanda has been heading over the past few years, the UFC appears to be a logical addition to the company's holdings.

Should Zuffa wind up striking a deal with one of the interested parties, Rovell cited another potential investment opportunity for Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, the company's principle owners:

The UFC has grown in popularity exponentially, and with the emergence of its latest stars in Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey, Holly Holm, Miesha Tate, Jon Jones and Nate Diaz, the Fertitta brothers appear to be on the verge of a massive payday.