Today is a historic day for WWE as Endeavor’s WWE – UFC merger to form TKO Group Holdings was officially completed. You can find related stories at the bottom of this post.
Endeavor now holds a 51% controlling interest of the company, while WWE shareholders own the other 49%. This includes 16% held by TKO Executive Chairman Vince McMahon. The Vince McMahon Era in WWE is officially over, 41 years after he purchased the pro wrestling company from his father and build it into a global sports entertainment juggernaut.
It was noted by PWInsider that things have been business as usual within WWE HQ in Stamford, CT today. There is said to be a lot of obvious trepidation and concern about what the merger means for employees, but as of this writing nothing has been said in that regard. You can find the internal memo from WWE President Nick Khan below.
An official website for TKO has been launched at tkogrp.com. The following is included on the “About” page:
“TKO Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: TKO) is a premium sports and entertainment company that comprises UFC, the world’s premier mixed martial arts organization, and WWE, an integrated media organization and the recognized global leader in sports entertainment. Together, our organizations reach more than 1 billion TV households in approximately 180 countries, and we organize more than 350 live events year-round, attracting over one million fans. TKO is majority owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, Inc. (NYSE: EDR), a global sports and entertainment company.”
We noted before how WWE stock closed for the final time on Monday at $100.65, after launching at $17 per share on October 19, 1999. The new TKO stock launched today at $102.00, and is currently trading at $103.35.
The following names were present at the New York Stock Exchange this morning to see Endeavor/TKO CEO Ari Emanuel ring the Opening Bell, which you can see in the video below – Khan, McMahon, WWE Chief Content Officer Triple H, WWE Executive Producer & Chief of Global Television Distribution Kevin Dunn, UFC CEO Dana White, and Endeavor/TKO President & COO Mark Shapiro. The group stood behind a custom TKO title belt, and at one point McMahon cupped his ear like WWE Hall of Famer Hulk Hogan. Triple H was seen taking photos with traders on the floor.
NYSE also released a TKO hype video, which features Becky Lynch, Logan Paul, John Cena, Bianca Belair, and Jey Uso. You can see the video below, along with the footage of company executives present for the Opening Bell.
The NYSE welcomes TKO Group Holdings Inc. in celebration of its listing! $TKO @TKOGrp @Endeavor