Report: Zuffa in ‘Advanced Talks’ to Sell UFC; Winning Bid Could Total $3-4 Billion

Ultimate Fighting Championship parent company Zuffa LLC is in “advanced talks” to sell the UFC, according to a report from ESPN.com.

ESPN reports that at least four companies have submitted bids to purchase the Las Vegas-based organization, and that the UFC’s final valuation could land between $3.5 and $4 billion.

The bidders reportedly on the short list of potential purchasers are: Blackstone Group, an American corporation based in New York City; China Media Capital, a state-backed venture capital firm based in Beijing; WME/IMG, a management company which represents numerous athletes, including former UFC champion Ronda Rousey; and Dalian Wanda Group, a Chinese conglomerate which last year purchased Hollywood’s Legendary Entertainment for a rumored $3.5 billion.

ESPN’s sources marked Dalian Wanda as the front-runner in the bidding to purchase UFC, which Zuffa acquired from Semaphore Entertainment in 2001 for only $2 million.

Dave Sholler, UFC vice president of public relations and athlete marketing, declined to comment on the rumored sale.

“As a private company, we don’t discuss speculation or rumors related to our business,” Sholler told ESPN.

UFC does not publicly reveal financial information. However, UFC Chairman and CEO Lorenzo Fertitta in December told CNN that the company took in approximately $600 million in gross revenue in 2015.