NFL Rumors: UFC Will Buy An NFL Franchise; 3 Teams Mentioned

Wide receiver Emmanuel Sanders #10 of the Denver Broncos celebrates after catching a pass for a third-quarter touchdown against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Broncos Stadium at Mile High on November 25, 2018 in Denver, Colorado. Justin Edmonds/Getty Images

UFC President Dana White has hinted that the UFC may be interested in buying an NFL team.

White just signed a new 10-year deal with the UFC as its president. And in a recent interview, White revealed some of the future plans of the company, including the idea of investing on NFL.

According to White, one of the things he is considering at this point is reuniting with former UFC owners Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta and teaming up for their plan to purchase an NFL franchise. The 49-year-old UFC don revealed what he has learned so far regarding the NFL issue and mentioned three teams, Sports Gossip reported.

“TMZ just got Lorenzo [Fertitta] the other day in New York, and Lorenzo confirmed that they are looking at NFL teams. I heard the Panthers, that the Broncos were available, that the Chargers might be up for sale. We’ll have to see how this plays out but yeah, if they buy a team, I’m in. I will partner up with them,” White revealed.

In addition to this, White also confessed that this is not the first time that he and the Fertitta brothers have teamed up and orchestrated a plan to purchase a professional sports franchise. He also mentioned that they have looked at the NBA in the past, but unfortunately they got outbid.

“We had looked at something a couple years ago, not in the NFL. In the NBA, we looked at a team and we got outbid, me and the brothers,” White said.

It has been known that the Houston Rockets were purchased by Lorenzo Fertitta’s cousin, Tilman Fertitta, back in 2017. During the interview, White was asked if the team he was referring to was the Rockets, the UFC president reportedly raised his eyebrows and smirked before answering, “might be,” and ending the statement with a laugh, MMA Junkie noted.

White was very clear and positive with his endeavors with the Fertitta brothers and said that he was eager to be back in business with them. “I would love to be back in business with them and do something. Obviously, I’m very busy and very focused over here. Financially, I’d jump in with those guys. I just signed a new 10-year deal with the UFC, so in ten years, I can do something with them every day,” White added.

Should White’s statement happen turn out to be true, it is not impossible for a football player to cross to MMA in the future as well.