Which company bought the UFC in 2001?

Zuffa bought the UFC in 2001. The company was formed by casino executives Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta to acquire and operate the financially troubled promotion.

The Fertittas purchased the UFC from its previous owner, Semaphore Entertainment Group, commonly called SEG. The reported purchase price was about $2 million. After the acquisition, Zuffa installed Dana White as UFC president and began reshaping the organization’s business model, rules, presentation, and event strategy.

A common mix-up is naming SEG or Endeavor as the buyer. SEG owned and operated the UFC before the 2001 sale, while Endeavor became involved much later. In 2016, a group led by WME-IMG, now part of Endeavor, purchased the UFC from Zuffa for approximately $4 billion.

Zuffa’s ownership period was central to the UFC’s transformation from a struggling combat-sports property into a major global sports brand. The company helped secure regulatory approval, expand television distribution, build a deeper roster, and establish recurring pay-per-view events. Zuffa remained the UFC’s controlling owner until the 2016 sale.