5 reasons why the UFC wouldn't be the same without WWE

#2. The UFC relies heavily on a pay-per-view model as WWE once did

The UFC makes mega profits from big-time pay-per-views, like UFC 264 headlined by Dustin Poirier and Conor McGregor

The UFC and WWE now both make plenty of money through bumper television deals with ESPN and Fox respectively. However, it’s still safe to say that the UFC’s biggest fights are reserved for pay-per-view.

The UFC’s idea of using pay-per-views to sell its biggest fights probably wouldn’t have come about were it not for the success of WWE in that particular market. The advent of WWE’s first big pay-per-view, WrestleMania, opened up the door. By the late 1990s, WWE was producing monthly pay-per-view shows to massive success.

If anything, the UFC has taken that idea and made it even more successful. The MMA juggernaut now regularly produces a handful of pay-per-views each year that draw over a million buys. Like WWE, the UFC uses its free TV shows to build these pay-per-views up in the eyes of the fans.

The days of the UFC using catchy subtitles for pay-per-views – just like WWE – are now seemingly gone. However, it’s almost certain that without WWE’s success in the area, the UFC never would’ve built its empire on the back of pay-per-view shows.

UFC 257: Conor McGregor vs. Dustin Poirier does blockbuster PPV numbers, per reports https://t.co/ffHPc4Ph8Y

— MMA Junkie (@MMAjunkie) January 26, 2021

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#1. The UFC always ensures its brand comes first – just like WWE

The UFC's model of pushing its brand above its stars was directly lifted from WWE

It’s hard to deny the idea that the UFC creates superstars. Names like Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey and Nate Diaz are household names amongst sports fans. They would never have reached the levels they’re at without the UFC behind them.

However, there’s one star that the UFC will always push above and beyond any of its individual fighters, and that star is the UFC brand itself. Dana White and the UFC’s promotional team clearly recognize that while star fighters can come and go, the brand will always remain.

As long as they ensure that the brand comes first, they’ll never see legions of fans defect to follow a single fighter who might leave the promotion.

Bid to win 2 VIP tickets in my personal section for #UFC266! Proceeds benefit @Candle_Lighters to fight childhood cancer: https://t.co/W3BlkTMYkh pic.twitter.com/8hCXGvJNaO

— danawhite (@danawhite) September 10, 2021

This idea would probably not exist were it not for WWE running with the exact same model for years beforehand. WWE started pushing its brand to the forefront after losing the likes of The Rock and Steve Austin in the early 2000s.

However, it’s safe to say that the model has been hugely effective. WWE doesn’t have any stars on the level of Austin or The Rock these days, but its brand is arguably bigger than ever before.

The same can be said for the UFC, which has continued to push ahead seamlessly. It has grown year after year despite losing stars such as Rousey, Anderson Silva and Georges St-Pierre along the way.

UFC has lifted many of its business practices from boxing – perhaps a closer cousin to MMA than pro-wrestling – but the idea of the brand coming first has come directly from WWE. It’s allowed the UFC to reach unimaginable heights.