Best memes and tweets as sale unites WWE with UFC

Endeavor, the parent company of UFC, is reportedly close to finalizing a deal to purchase WWE. Fans reacted to the monumental news on social media.

Earlier this year, Vince McMahon returned to the WWE after his “retirement,” to explore a sale of the company. McMahon had stepped aside with revelations of sexual misconduct and hush money payment being reported by the Wall Street Journal.

There were rumors about potential buyers, whether it was Comcast, Disney, or the Saudi Arabia Public Investment Fund. But on Sunday, just before the start of the second night of WrestleMania 39, a bombshell report dropped courtesy of CNBC.

According to CNBC’s Alex Sherman, WWE is in “advanced talks” to be sold to Endeavor Group, the parent company of the UFC owned by Ari Emanuel. If this is to be finalized, WWE and UFC will be merged into one public company, where Endeavor would own 51-percent of it, while World Wrestling Entertainment shareholders would make up the remaining 49-percent. With the deal, per Sherman, World Wrestling Entertainment would earn an enterprise value of $9.3 billion.

An official announcement is expected to be made as soon as Monday.

Obviously, wrestling and mixed martial arts fans shared their thoughts. Oh, and UFC star Conor McGregor also chimed in.

Fans react to WWE reportedly being sold to UFC parent company: Best memes, tweets

There are questions that fans are asking with this breaking news. Will Paul “Triple H” Levesque remain as Chief Content Officer and head of creative? Will World Wrestling Entertainment follow the UFC pay-per-view model, and shy away from their current format with NBC’s Peacock streaming service? It is too early to tell, and additional details are bound to be revealed at a later date.

Here is what the corporate leadership will look like with this sale, per Sherman:

• Ari Emanuel will be executive chairman of Endeavor and the new WWE/UFC public company
• Vince McMahon will serve as executive chairman
• Endeavor president Mark Shapiro will be in same role with new company
• Dana White will still remain as UFC president
• WWE CEO Nick Khan will be president of the wrestling business

Mere hours before the 8:00 p.m. ET bell time for WrestleMania 39 at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood, Calif., the wrestling world has found out that WWE is close to being sold and joining forces with the same parent company as the UFC.

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