- Shares of Endeavor, the owner of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, fell after a video surfaced of UFC president Dana White hitting his wife.
- Endeavor, run by Hollywood super agent Ari Emanuel, took full ownership of UFC in 2021.
- White issued a public apology on Monday, according to media reports.
Media and entertainment company Endeavor saw its shares fall on Tuesday after a video showing Dana White, the president of its Ultimate Fighting Championship business, slapping his wife.
Endeavor shares closed down nearly 6%.
This week, a video published by TMZ showed White getting into an altercation with his wife, Anne, at a New Year’s Eve party in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. In the video, it appears the two are arguing before Anne White slaps Dana White. He then slaps her.
Endeavor and the UFC didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
White issued a public apology Monday, according to media reports. Anne White also issued a separate statement to TMZ, calling it isolated incident.
White is synonymous with UFC, having served as its president since 2001.
In 2014, White spoke out about domestic violence after Ray Rice of the NFL assaulted his fiance, saying you “don’t bounce back from putting your hands on a woman,” according to media reports. “Been that way in the UFC since we started here.”
Following the comments, White also revealed the UFC screens people for domestic violence.
Hollywood powerhouse Endeavor began as a talent agency and was co-founded by one of the industry’s most recognizable agents, Ari Emanuel. Endeavor has bulked up over the years through a series of acquisitions, owning and managing live events like the Miami Open and the Miss Universe international beauty pageant.
Endeavor acquired a controlling interest in the UFC, a popular mixed martial arts league, in 2016. It took full ownership of UFC in 2021, the year Endeavor had its initial public offering, according to a securities filing.
Source: Business - cnbc.com
