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Rumors on UFC's BIG Announcment Thursday!!

Since UFC President Dana White’s proclamation in an ESPN.com interview that he was going to make a huge announcement on Thursday, the rumor mill has been spinning overtime. Everyone is trying to coax something out of their sources. I can’t tell you how many people I’ve called. Nobody has heard anything concrete, but most insiders believe that a sale of some sort pertaining to the UFC is a part of the announcement, but that White will continue to serve as the promotion’s president.

However, it’s important to note that the above possibility is purely speculation. Nobody has anything concrete. But until Thursday comes, our imaginations will be allowed to run wild. Below is a sampling of what other people are speculating the announcement will be:

MMARated.com, a site that has been breaking some big stories lately, looks at a few possibilities, but has a source saying the following:

Zuffa has sold the UFC to FOX: Ah yes, the big (and most logical) one which comes to us from a reliable source. We’ve heard the UFC on FOX rumors for quite some time and we’ve also heard the rumors that the promotion was on sale. We also know that the UFC was not willing to work with a network unless they had full production control. However, what if a network bought them for a hefty price? Then, all of a sudden, that issue is, well, an non-issue. The bottom line is that this is the kind of announcement you rent a secret location for.

Of course, there’s this report from the always reliable MediaTakeout.com (sarcasm, please):

MediaTakeOut.com has just caught word of an EARTH SHAKING rumor. According to a number of sources within the UFC, Floyd Mayweather is set to be the first big name boxer to sign on as a mixed martial arts fighter.

One UFC insider, who asked to remain nameless, told MediaTakeOut.com that the reported deal will net Floyd more than $200 million in cash and equity in the UFC. Word is that the deal will be announced at a press conference set for this Thursday.

And then there is this fun unconfirmed rumor from a poster on the forums at MixedMartialArts.com:

From a very reliable source, rumor has it that a group of investors led by Dana White have agreed in principle to purchase the UFC from Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta for an undisclosed amount. Included in this investment group is WWE’s Vince McMahon who will now own a minority stake in the company. They also have plans on taking the company public by years end.

At the press conference also expect Dana to announce that with the help of McMahon, who has extensive connections in the New York State Athletic Commission, they were able to get the UFC sanctioned in New York, and plan on having a show sometime in the winter at Madison Square Garden. That is all I have right now.

MMAPayout is now adding the following:

MMAPayout.com has learned that financial giant Morgan Stanley has reportedly been working on a collaborative/financial deal between Zuffa and another party… Sources have told MMAPayout.com that a significant licensing deal may be part of the planned announcement. Licensing and merchandising has long been identified as a major untapped revenue stream for the UFC. Adding even more intrigue is WWE’s rumored involvement in the deal. The WWE also has a press conference scheduled for Thursday.

Whatever it is, it better be good.

http://fiveouncesofpain.com/

OH SHIT!!! I hate surprises!!

New York Still Has NOT Voted on Legalizing MMA


The legalization of mixed martial arts in the state of New York has been delayed according to representatives in New York State Assemblyman Steve Englebright’s office. Englebright, who introduced the bill, has reportedly voted against it.

When the UFC cancelled a “HUGE” announcement for Thursday, reports began appearing that the Tourism, Arts, and Sports Development committee had voted down the bill introduced to them that would sanction the sport of MMA in the state of New York. The vote is now scheduled for next week.

This vote has been widely reported – rumored that Dana White and the UFC thought the vote was in the bag and they would be able to announce a future event in New York.

FROM

I THOUGHT THE BIG NEWS WAS THE TOY DEAL!

http://www.baltimoresun.com/

UFC president Dana White further clarifies his position on the big announcement:

"I’m doing it Tuesday. Let me tell you how out of [expletive deleted] control that thing is. I was talking to ESPN and [the reporter] was talking about competition and I said, ‘Let me tell you what. People have been trying to compete with the UFC for years, even before we bought it. The last big one everyone thought was a big threat ... was the IFL. They went public, raised 800-[expletive deleted] million dollars, then they were talking about doing fighter benefits and stuff. They got the first network deal and those other guys weren’t the first on. They got time on 60 Minutes with us when 60 Minutes did their piece on us, and now the IFL is gone. They are [expletive deleted] down, their stock is worth half a cent (Editor's note: IFLI closed today at $0.02). That’s what we were talking about that day and I said I’m going to make an announcement to my employees that shows everyone exactly where this business is going in the next couple years.

I said I wanted to make the announcement to my employees, so it’s not even like I was making a big announcement to the media. If I was doing that I would’ve had a big news conference and then gone off to London. I wanted to wait until I was back to do it.

It’s a big [expletive deleted] announcement, it’s a big [expletive deleted] deal but I got a lot of other stuff we’re working on right now. It was never anything I said I was going to announce to the media.

I wanted to do it after I got back from England and I got back late Wednesday. Also, all of our people are going to be in town next week for The Ultimate Fighter finale. All of our production guys, Joe Rogan, I mean everyone who works for the UFC is coming to it."



----Who the [expletive deleted] knows what the hell Dana has to announce but it is sounding less and less like it will be big news for the fans!

Dana White's Big Announcement:

Yahoo Sports is reporting that Lorenzo Fertitta is resigning from his post at the president of Station Casinos to work full-time in expanding UFC.

Fertitta is leaving a post where he was the second highest paid casino executive in Las Vegas in 2007, earning a total of $113.8 million.

Frank Fertitta III will become the man in charge of Station Casinos at CEO and retain 45% ownership in UFC, while Lorenzo Fertitta will work alongside Dana White as the co-heads of UFC.


WOW!

Who cares!!!!!