UFC parent company goes public with launch of IPO

Endeavor Group Holdings, the media conglomerate and parent company of the UFC, launched an initial public offering Thursday.

Endeavor stock began trading at $24 per share on the New York Stock Exchange, according to ESPN's Brett Okamoto. It'll trade under the symbol EDR.

CEO Ari Emanuel and executive chairman Patrick Whitesell, as well as UFC president Dana White, were in New York as the IPO kicked off.

The offering is expected to close May 3, according to Deadline's Dade Hayes. It values Endeavor at about $10 billion.

Endeavor reached an agreement to acquire full ownership of the UFC earlier in 2021, according to a filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission last month. The company previously purchased 50.1% of the MMA promotion from Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta in 2016 for about $4 billion.

Endeavor initially planned to go public in 2019 but yanked its IPO at the last minute reportedly due to unfavorable market conditions.