WWE and UFC: Will the merger be a knockout?

What in the World

• Episode: WWE and UFC: Will the merger be a knockout?
• Website: What in the World
• Feed URL: https://podcasts.files.bbci.co.uk/w13xtvrv.rss
• Duration: 00:15:38
• Published: 2023-09-13 17:23

The professional wrestling company WWE and the Mixed Martial Arts company UFC have merged in a giant deal that has created a new organisation called TKO Holdings. The WWE and UFC are quite different and fans of the brands aren’t sure what this deal will mean for them or the future of the sports.

Alex from the What in the World team explains the differences between the UFC, which is a real combat sport, and the WWE, which is a scripted form of entertainment.

BBC business journalist Tom Gerken explains the incentives behind the merger, and BBC Sport reporter Paul Battison assesses whether the scripted and non-scripted formats will appeal to existing fans.

We also hear from Nicole Vaziri, the daughter of WWE wrestler The Iron Sheik. She tells us what it was like growing up with the former heavyweight world champion and explains how different he was from the villainous character he portrayed in the ring.

Email: [email protected] WhatsApp: +44 0330 12 33 22 6 Presenters: Hannah Gelbart with Alex Rhodes Producers: Benita Barden and William Lee Adams Editors: Julia Ross-Roy and Simon Peeks