UFC and WWE now exist under the same roof. This past September, WWE’s sale to Endeavor was made official, marking the first time in company history that WWE was not majority owned by a member of the McMahon family. Endeavor would merge UFC and WWE as one publicly-traded company known as TKO. While the two combat sports giants operate as one from the corporate side, top executives from both companies have emphasized that there will be no creative crossover between the two. That said, there has been interest in ensuring UFC and WWE can operate synergistically, with WWE President Nick Khan specifically showing interest in “an all-star weekend” with shows from both companies in the same city.
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UFC and WWE Land Multi-Year Partnership With Honda Center
Those all-star weekends are becoming a reality.
As announced in a press release, UFC and WWE have inked a five-year partnership with the OCVIBE Honda Center in Anaheim, California. The contract details that UFC and WWE will bring “at least three events each” to the Honda Center through 2028, with shows like UFC pay-per-views and UFC Fight Night to episodes of WWE Monday Night Raw and WWE SmackDown specified.
“Hosting UFC and WWE at the iconic Honda Center allows us to bring some of the most electric live experiences to the residents of Orange County,” CEO of OCVIBE Bill Foltz said. “The infectious excitement of these events will only become more powerful as we reimagine the downtown experience for Orange County at OCVIBE, creating a magnetic destination for entertainment, sports, and culture.”
“For nearly 20 years, Honda Center has been one of UFC’s most favorite venues to visit,” Executive Vice President, UFC Event Development and Operations Peter Dropick added. “The Samueli Family and Honda Center team have been amazing hosts and have helped us put on some of the most memorable UFC events ever. Now the creation of OCVIBE will take the fan experience to the next level with all the innovative ways they will be able to activate around UFC and WWE events in one destination.”
The doubling up of UFC and WWE events in the Honda Center begin this weekend. UFC 298 goes down on Saturday, February 17th while WWE Monday Night Raw airs from the same venue on Monday, February 19th. The Honda Center becomes the first venue to host back-to-back UFC and WWE events since the two companies merged in September 2023.
