WWE Employees “Gritting Their Teeth” As Endeavor Takeover Is Imminent

The Endeavor takeover of WWE looms large, and a new report details when it could be complete.

After announcing his retirement in July 2022 amidst an investigation into alleged sexual misconduct and hush money payments, Vince McMahon once again shocked the world when he announced in January of 2023 that he was electing himself back to the Board of Directors in order to help facilitate a sale of the company.

Rumors about potential buyers ran rampant, and in April, it was announced that WWE would merge with UFC to form a new $21+ billion entity under parent company Endeavor. According to a press release at the time, Endeavor head Ari Emanuel will serve as CEO of the new corporation, while Vince McMahon will serve as Executive Chairman of the Board. Dana White will serve as President of UFC while Nick Khan will act as President of WWE.

The list of members of the Board of Directors for the new company has been announced, and Triple H is not among them.

It was later reported that the new company will be called TKO Group Holdings.

When Will WWE Merge With UFC?

Back in August, Deadline reported that the target date for the merger was mid-to-late September. Now, an update from PWInsider Elite reveals that the merger will be complete very soon, possibly as early as next week. According to the report, many employees are “gritting their teeth” as they wait to see what this merger means for their futures.

Ari Emanuel recently indicated that the company plans to make “cost savings and synergies happen immediately upon closing,” meaning employee cuts are on the horizon. It is likely these cuts will have a greater impact on office staff than on talent.