Source: UFC sale to WME-IMG not closed yet

It sounds like fighters are going to have to wait just a little bit longer before hailing their new overlords and masters. At least that’s the latest update according to Dave Meltzer and the Wrestling Observer newsletter. The latest issue contains a lot of details about Brock Lesnar and the fallout from his UFC 200 return and subsequent drug test failure, but this particular note caught our eye.

It’s about the UFC sale, which seemed to be completed after the promotion sent around a memo to their staff and fighters announcing the transfer of the UFC to an investment group principally involving the talent agency WME-IMG. Dana White himself even commented saying that the promotion looked forward to taking MMA to “the next level” under their new ownership. But, while the sale is still expected to go through, it may not be actually 100% a reality just yet:

"Regarding the sale of UFC, while the announcement was made and it is certainly expected, it hasn't officially closed. It's much like the 2001 announcement that Fusient had purchased WCW, which everyone expected to happen, and then ended up falling through. Not to say I expect this to fall through, just noting it hasn't closed yet. The word is it may close on 8/16 if everything comes through, but there will be a big changeover at that time."

That should mean that the deal will be finalized in the next week or two, but it’s interesting to note that all the i’s may not yet be dotted and all the t’s may not yet be crossed. And until they are, who knows what could happen?