Zuffa sells-off 10% of company to Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Flash

speeds · Jan 8, 2010

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/1/8/1240677/how-dana-white-handled-the-lyoto

Visibly angry with the decision — Who cares what I think? I'm only the fuckin' promoter! — White retreats with his entourage to his private dressing room, where he is joined by two financial officers from Zuffa. Along with Lorenzo Fertitta, White decides who should win the bonus money for best submission and the rest. Bonus checks for all the fighters are written out by hand. When they get to Shogun's check, White orders the accountants to "pay the taxes." Meaning, essentially, that he wants Shogun's previously contracted payday to be doubled.

With a check for $250,000 in hand, White goes off looking for Shogun.

When the defeated challenger sees the boss enter his dressing room, he rises shamefacedly from his bench — his body language says defendant about to be sentenced. His manager stands stolidly at his left elbow; his entourage surrounds him in a semicircle.

White hands Shogun his check. He points to the amount. "Tell him that's the real number," White instructs the manager.

"Thank you, thank you very much," Shogun says in heavily accented English. Back home in Curitiba, Brazil, his wife is expecting their first child. He looks appreciative — if not exactly satisfied.

"We paid the taxes," White reiterates. Maybe he didn't understand? He points to the check again. "That's the real number there. That's take-home pay."

Shogun listens to the translation. He ratchets his proud, chiseled jaw one crank higher. "Okay, thank you," he says. "Thank you very much."

"I know it doesn't erase what happened."

Resigned: "No, no problem."

"But it's gotta make you feel a little better." White elbows the fighter playfully in the triceps — I just gave you an extra hundred grand, dude, lighten up!

Shogun breaks down and smiles for real. White regards him appraisingly. "Do you want a rematch?"

No translation is necessary.
Click to expand...

The two most generous managers/owners in all of sport are Dana and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Manchester City), who gave City players watches worth £168,000 ($268,000) just for being on his team.

To have bosses like this...

Although Nahyan might have your head cut off at some point. The worst Dana will do is trash you.

speeds · Jan 8, 2010

Re: Dana White gave Shogun $100,000 after the Machida fight

speeds said: ↑

http://www.bloodyelbow.com/2010/1/8/1240677/how-dana-white-handled-the-lyotoThe two most generous managers/owners in all of sport are Dana and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan (Manchester City), who gave City players watches worth £168,000 ($268,000) just for being on his team.

To have bosses like this...

Although Nahyan might have your head cut off at some point. The worst Dana will do is trash you.
Click to expand...

Speaking of whom, Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, his brother, has reportedly bought a minority stake in the UFC.

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/2010/01...age-of-company-to-sheik-tahnoon-of-abu-dhabi/

Chocolove · Jan 8, 2010

Re: Dana White gave Shogun $100,000 after the Machida fight

Damn, the rich get richer.

speeds · Jan 11, 2010

Re: Dana White gave Shogun $100,000; Minority Stake in UFC sold?

Sheikh Tahnoon has reportedly purchased 10% of the UFC.

His ownership stake in the company is roughy equal to that of Dana White's, now, though he is expected to be a silent partner (for now).

10% of the UFC (Zuffa) is probably over $100,000,000.

speeds · Jan 12, 2010

Re: Dana White gave Shogun $100,000; Minority Stake in UFC sold?

http://www.tsn.ca/mma/story/?id=305724

INVESTMENT ARM OF ABU DHABI GOVERNMENT BUYS 10% OF UFC

LAS VEGAS - An Abu Dhabi-owned entertainment promotion company has bought a 10 per cent stake in the UFC.

UFC co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta told The Associated Press that the deal with Flash Entertainment, a subsidiary owned by the emirate's government, was done to create increased value for UFC and help the mixed martial arts juggernaut expand in the Middle East and Asia.

Neither Fertitta nor Ossama Khoreibi, chairman of Flash, would estimate UFC's worth or say what Flash paid for the newly issued shares in Zuffa LLC, its parent company. Fertitta says terms of the deal are confidential.

A Forbes story in May 2008 estimated the privately held company was worth perhaps US$1 billion. Fertitta said then that several investors have offered more than that for the company

The Fertittas bought the ailing organization in 2001 for $2 million, pouring more than $40 million into it before it started to turn around.

The UFC is expected to hold a show in Abu Dhabi in April and entertained members of the royal family at UFC 103 in Dallas in September. A show is slated for Australia next month.

"We're building a global brand," Fertitta said. "It's never been done before in the fight business."

Fertitta told the AP that the new offers have come from many private equity funds, as well as several media companies and hedge funds.

"We made the decision early on that if we were to bring on a partner, it wasn't for financial reasons," Fertitta said. "We didn't need to raise any money, that wasn't the purpose. If we were going to bring somebody it was going to be with someone that could really be a true strategic partner and could help create an increased value for the company long term."

Fertitta said he believes Flash -- a promoter known for bringing high-profile concerts and other events to the Middle East -- can accelerate UFC's growth there and in China, India and other countries.

Flash's new shares mean Fertitta's 45 per cent stake in Zuffa dropped to 40.5 per cent. His brother, Frank Fertitta III, owns the same amount.

UFC president Dana White saw his stake go from 10 per cent to nine per cent after the deal.

Fertitta would not say what would be done with the money Flash invested or whether it would stay in UFC. Station Casinos Inc., where Frank Fertitta is chairman and CEO and Lorenzo Fertitta is vice chairman, has a pending bankruptcy case in Nevada that is separate from UFC.

Fertitta said day-to-day operations at UFC would not likely change.

Khoreibi said in an email that its role will be to support UFC as it keeps growing.

"The sport has incredible potential and the commercial opportunities were very obvious to us," Khoreibi said.

UFC makes money with pay-per-view and live fighting events, as well as TV deals, merchandise, licensing and DVD sales.
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speeds · Jan 12, 2010

Re: Dana White gave Shogun $100,000; Minority Stake in UFC sold?

http://www.cagepotato.com/details-emerge-ufcs-10-sale-abu-dhabi-based-entertainment-company

Following up reports last week of Zuffa selling a chunk of the UFC to Sheikh Tahnoon Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the UFC has publicly released some information on the sale. First, the official statement via UFC.com:

Las Vegas, NV (USA) -- UFC today announced that the organization Flash Entertainment, a leading live events company based in the United Arab Emirates, has acquired a ten percent stake in Zuffa, LLC, d/b/a Ultimate Fighting Championship.

UFC owners Lorenzo J. Fertitta, Frank Fertitta III and Dana White stated that they are pleased to have this partnership in place and are honored to be associated with Flash. The Fertitta brothers and White agree that this investment brings exceptional strategic value, expertise and global opportunities to the UFC brand.

“Over the past few years, we have built a relationship with all levels of the Flash organization. They share our vision, passion, and enthusiasm for the UFC,” said Lorenzo J. Fertitta, UFC Chairman and CEO. “We are confident that this partnership will accelerate the worldwide growth of the UFC.”

Ossama Khoreibi, Chairman of Flash Entertainment, commented, “Since our very first meeting, we were impressed by Lorenzo, Frank and Dana’s commitment to growing UFC as a global sport.” He continued, “Flash is equally committed to building Abu Dhabi’s profile as an international entertainment destination, and this partnership provides further proof of our company’s bold ambitions. We look forward to an exciting future ahead, working closely with our UFC partners to activate this sport in the UAE, the region and across the world.”...

Formed in Abu Dhabi in August 2008, Flash Entertainment is the region’s leading events consultancy, with a proven track record in delivering world-class events from movie premieres and classical shows to international tennis tournaments and megastar music concerts. Flash is made up of a team of industry professionals, offering comprehensive event management solutions from concept design and strategic planning, through to implementation, management and evaluation.
Dana White followed up the announcement with a Q&A on UFC.com to put it all into layman's terms for the fans. Some highlights:

Why did UFC do this deal?
Dana White: We view this as the perfect strategic partnership to help us grow this business and fast track our expansion into other parts of the world. There are a lot of guys over the last nine years that have tried to buy in, invest, get us to go public, and try to partner up with the UFC. We got in this thing because we love this sport, we love the UFC, and we have this vision to take this thing globally and turn it into the biggest sport in the world. And when I say that, I know people think I’m a lunatic, but it’s true, and it’s gonna happen. So this deal is a perfect strategic partnership. These guys are awesome strategic partners to help us reach that goal even faster.

Who is Flash?
DW: Flash is an independent live events and entertainment organization based in the UAE. Its sole shareholder is the Government of Abu Dhabi. [Ed. note: In other words, Sheikh Tahnoon may not be called out by name, but he's in there somewhere.] We got to know these guys discussing an event in Abu Dhabi. This led to the investment conversation. After conducting in-depth due diligence, they saw the tremendous global potential of the UFC brand. The guys who run this company are young, hip, aggressive visionaries. They are big thinkers.

What is the structure of this deal, what exactly does Flash own?
DW: Flash acquired a 10 percent minority stake through a direct investment in the equity of Zuffa, LLC.

How will this affect the operations of the UFC?
DW: It affects it positively. As for the day to day and how everything runs, it’s business as usual. Strategically, in our global expansion, it’s gonna help us get to certain places a lot faster than we could have done it.

Were there any concerns about bringing another partner into the UFC fold?
DW: I didn’t feel that way at all. I don’t look at this as my baby and nobody else can touch it. The way I look at this thing is that the UFC is a brand, like Microsoft, McDonald’s or any of these other ones. I think that I’m gonna have a certain amount of time here and then my time will be done and I will have done my part. And then somebody else will carry it on after me. I don’t look at this like I’m gonna be here forever. A lot of people say ‘without Dana the UFC couldn’t do this or couldn’t do that.’ I think the UFC is bigger than that and bigger than one person, including me.

Was this deal done because UFC needed money?
DW: UFC has no financial issues and business has never been better. We did this deal because of the huge opportunities it provides for UFC’s global growth.
_______________________________

A few other important points: The sale — which may have gone down as early as October — will dilute all existing owners proportionately. Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta Jr.'s ownership percentages went from 45% apiece to 40.5%. Dana White owned 10% of the company before the sale, and owns approximately 9% now — meaning that Flash Entertainment has a bigger stake in the company than he does. However, Flash will not be able to purchase a larger stake nor sell its interest to a third party. According to Zuffa, there are no plans to sell any more stakes in the UFC. Lorenzo Fertitta believes that Flash can accelerate the UFC's growth in the Middle East, China, and India.
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