Dana White has no downside betting on himself.
On Monday, the UFC CEO introduced that his upstart slapfighting promotion Energy Slap was transferring from streaming platform Rumble to start airing occasions completely on YouTube with the deal kicking on Friday when Paige VanZant makes her return to motion. The deal is powered by a sponsorship with VeChain — a crypto forex agency that’s reportedly paying $76 million over the following six years to function the title sponsor for Energy Slap.
Forbes reported that determine is lower than half what Energy Slap was beforehand incomes from Rumble at a outstanding $30 million per 12 months. The brand new take care of VeChain is about up extra like a standard sponsorship so the corporate is simply paying to have their title connected to Energy Slap, however there’s no different broadcast deal in place to make up the distinction with YouTube.
However White doesn’t appear all that involved concerning the change in income streams for Energy Slap, as a result of the longtime boss on the UFC revealed that he’s presently within the midst of negotiations with two extra potential sponsors that will deliver the full “rights deal” as much as $35 million per 12 months, which is clearly a rise.
That’s not figuring in potential payouts from YouTube for streams amassed on the Google owned platform that boasts greater than a billion energetic customers per 30 days.
White additionally added that three linear cable channels have been thinking about partnering with Energy Slap as soon as the published rights turned out there however he finally handed as a result of that will have required him to surrender management of the corporate’s linear and digital rights together with any sponsorships obtained.
Sustaining that management offers White the flexibility to hunt out further sponsors to go together with VeChain whereas additionally holding all of the playing cards the place Energy Slap is anxious.
“You recognize who I wish to wager on? Me,” White advised Forbes. “[At Power Slap], we personal the whole lot, and we management the whole lot. We’re principally creating our personal future.”
White is banking on Energy Slap persevering with to create viral moments, which helped the latest occasion earn 4.3 million viewers on Rumble.
Along with the brand new deal transferring Energy Slap to YouTube, White can also be increasing by taking the promotion on the street for extra worldwide reveals.
Only recently, Energy Slap debuted in Saudi Arabia with the Center Jap nation already on the hook for 3 extra playing cards in 2025 plus two extra in 2026 with a $15 million web site payment connected to every occasion. White says he has comparable offers in place in Abu Dhabi and Qatar with plans to broaden into Brazil and South Africa within the close to future.
That’s not even accounting for additional enlargement in the USA with UFC chief enterprise officer Hunter Campbell, who can also be a minority investor in Energy Slap, revealing that increasingly states are sanctioning slapfighting with Missouri and New Jersey because the most probably dominoes subsequent to fall.
White has promised that he’s going to proceed constructing Energy Slap till it reaches the identical heights because the UFC. These are understandably lofty targets, particularly because the UFC embarks by itself broadcast rights take care of the corporate reportedly searching for greater than $1 billion per 12 months from any potential companion.
To get there, White needs to keep up as a lot management over Energy Slap as potential and transferring to YouTube maintains that skill as the corporate strikes ahead.
“I don’t wish to need to reply to anyone,” White stated. “We constructed the enterprise nonetheless we see match. We do regardless of the f*ck we would like.”
