UFC Owner Drops $27.5 Million on Beverly Hills Mansion

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UFC owner Ari Emanuel dropped $27.5 million earlier this month on a mansion in Beverly Hills according to Variety. Emanuel is the CEO of the UFC’s parent company, Endeavor, which bought the world’s leading MMA promotional company from its previous owners, Dana White and Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, back in 2016 for $4 billion.

Amazingly, Emanuel bought the stunning mansion, which was once owned by actress Barrie Chase, who is best remembered as being one of Fred Astaire’s dance partners, for 25% below the lavish home’s original asking price. The property was previously listed by boutique hotelier Edward Slatkin for $39 million back in 2018.

And what did Emanuel get for spending $27.5 million?

Per Variety, the home was “completed in 1925, measures in at nearly 7,900 square feet with four bedrooms and four full baths, plus three powder rooms. A careful parse of marketing materials indicates two guest cottages and a two-story poolside pavilion add about 3,500 square feet with two more bedrooms and four more bathrooms.”

You can read more about the bodacious residence at Variety.

Additionally, there’s a slideshow showcasing the property.

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UFC Owner’s Massive Purchase Juxtaposed To UFC Fighter Pay

Fair or not, Emanuel’s massive purchase is likely to be juxtaposed by some to the amount the UFC pays its fighters.

While UFC superstar Conor McGregor is frequently among the highest-paid celebrity athletes in the world today, most UFC fighters don’t end up anywhere near that impressive list.

In fact, UFC fighters seem to make exponentially less on average for their fights than professional boxers do despite MMA’s incredible popularity in 2020.

Even McGregor, who boxed against superstar Floyd Mayweather in August 2017, was able to take home the most amount of money he ever made in a single night of action in the boxing world.

It’s no wonder the UFC’s most popular star ever, McGregor, seems so keen on heading back into the world of boxing to face Manny Pacquiao next year.

Fair or Unfair?

Fans, fighters and some of the media often bring up the issue of fighter pay.

Where is all the money the UFC seems to be making go exactly?

The reality of the situation is that Emanuel’s purchase might not directly connect to the issue. Often left out of the armchair equation done by most around the issue is how much money the UFC seems to be pouring into growing the sport.

There’s simply no doubt that the company has been successful with its strategy far beyond what most people would have predicted a decade ago.

Moreover, when the UFC’s production quality is compared to other combat sports, it’s easy to see how much higher quality content the UFC creates over its competitors.

That’s especially true when comparing the UFC to boxing promotions.

But none of that will keep some from drawing a line from Emanuel’s massive purchase to the issue of fighter pay in MMA.

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