In late 2023, the landscape-altering information {that a} merger had fashioned between fight sports activities’ elite two of WWE and the UFC caught everybody off guard, as Vince McMahon lastly stepped away from any involvement with the WWE following authorized troubles.
Now, upon the discharge of Netflix’s six-part documentary on the previous chairman of the WWE, titled “Mr. McMahon”, it has been revealed that the McMahon household had beforehand handed up the prospect to purchase the UFC for reasonable, with particulars rising in regards to the jaw-dropping fumble.
Vince McMahon’s Netflix Documentary
The six-part sequence dropped on Netflix on the twenty fifth of September
A documentary that had been years within the making, Netflix produced a chunk of content material that components in over 100 hours price of interviews from the WWE’s largest names, comparable to Hulk Hogan, The Rock, John Cena, ‘Stone Chilly’ Steve Austin, in addition to Vince McMahon himself.
Mr. McMahon Netflix documentary episodes
Episode quantity
Episode title
Episode working time
1.
Junior
52m
2.
Warmth
56m
3.
Screwjob
53m
4.
Angle
55m
5.
Household Enterprise
65m
6.
The End
66m
With episodes specializing in the Montreal Screwjob, steroid scandals, the rise of WCW, the PG period, it was a historic reflection of Vince’s involvement within the WWE, one thing that may enchantment to individuals who weren’t actually too acquainted with the happenings of the enterprise, with many hardcore followers feeling it was a really floor stage documentary that did not inform them issues they already did not know.
Nonetheless, one of many nuggets of latest info that fascinated many was the information that WWE had beforehand tried to purchase the UFC, with Shane McMahon, the son of Vince, revealing simply what occurred and why.
Shane McMahon, a person clearly in want of his father’s approval all through the documentary, determined he wished to succeed his dad within the WWE in the future. Having solely labored within the WWE vacuum, Shane determined he wanted to realize precious enterprise expertise elsewhere in an effort to show to Vince that he may run the corporate someplace down the road.
WWE’s Alternative to Purchase the UFC
Shane McMahon, Vince’s son, was very eager on the concept, however Vince was much less so
On the lookout for enterprise alternatives within the mid-2000s, it was the UFC that got here to Shane, as the corporate was in monetary turmoil and in want of saving. Shane, assured that it may work, defined his reasoning as to why he wished to make the acquisition.
“I felt we may actually develop that model as a result of it’s tailored to what we already do… we had a manufacturing workforce, a stay occasions workforce, a merchandise workforce, we had all of it simply able to go. For me, it was plug and play.”
A call that Vince turned down, one thing that he would come to remorse because the UFC could be bought for $4 billion in 2016. The previous CEO used the Netflix documentary as a spot to disclose simply why he wasn’t on board with the acquisition.
“When it was offered by way of shopping for UFC, I did not like that enterprise mannequin… our enterprise mannequin was that we created characters, very like Disney or another person, and we will then use them ceaselessly… versus a boxer/UFC [fighter]. When you’re beat, when you’re harm, your profession is over.”
A purchase order that may have modified the trajectory of the UFC ceaselessly, unknown if for higher or for worse. Nonetheless, if WWE Uncooked’s Underground period is something to go by, it’s for the perfect that the acquisition by no means obtained made.
