Earlier this week, WME-IMG purchased the UFC for $4 billion and several important figures in the mixed martial arts industry have expressed their thoughts on the sale including Bellator President Scott Coker.
During last night’s episode of “Inside MMA” on AXS TV, World Series of Fighting CEO Carlos Silva was a guest on the show and stated that he believes the sale of the UFC brings MMA into the big leagues of sports.
“It’s interesting because recently I heard the [Dallas] Cowboys were valued at $4 billion,” Silva said. “If you have grown up here in sport, the Cowboys are America’s team. They are sort of a benchmark around a value in sport and the UFC is just as big. I think it brings MMA right up there into the major leagues, the top five. If you put the UFC, Bellator and World Series of Fighting into this sport called MMA. Look, it’s right there. I think it’s amazing the job they have done over the last 15 to 20 years building it and it’s a blockbuster deal. There is no doubt about it.”
Check out Silva’s complete interview from “Inside MMA” below.