Ex-UFC Owner Lorenzo Fertitta Linked to Potential TNA Purchase Ahead of October 2025 Deadline

Dana White's childhood best friend and former UFC Lorenzo Fertitta is in talks to purchase TNA ahead of new TV deal negotiations.

Ex-UFC Owner Lorenzo Fertitta Linked to Potential TNA Purchase Ahead of October 2025 Deadline

Ex-UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta, Triple H and Dana White (via Imagn and WrestleZone)

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Every combat sports fan knows that today, the UFC reigns supreme in the world of mixed martial arts. But in the late 1990s, that wasn’t the case. The sport faced heavy stigma, with Arizona Senator John McCain famously leading a campaign to ban MMA in all 50 U.S. states, labeling it “human cockfighting.” The UFC’s fortunes changed in 2001, when Dana White and his billionaire friends, the Fertitta brothers, stepped in and purchased the company for just $2 million. 

With savvy deals with Spike TV, FOX, ESPN, reality shows like The Ultimate Fighter, and blockbuster fights, they transformed the UFC into a global powerhouse. Now, one of those very Fertitta brothers may be eyeing a return to the combat sports arena, but in the world of professional wrestling. 

For the unversed, TNA Wrestling is reportedly deep in talks over a new media rights deal for iMPACT, with hopes of finalizing an agreement by October, potentially tying the announcement to the Bound For Glory event. TNA President Carlos Silva has spoken of “positive momentum” in negotiations, and there are rumblings that WWE has played a role behind the scenes, exploring a possible move for TNA to one of its partner networks.

That in turn has sparked speculation that WWE might even buy TNA outright. But in a surprising twist, another high-profile name has emerged, former UFC owner Lorenzo Fertitta. According to Fightful’s Sean Ross Sapp, Fertitta’s name came up in internal discussions this week. While nothing has been confirmed, the possibility alone is generating buzz across wrestling circles. 

Fertitta’s ties to TKO, which is currently the parent company of both WWE and UFC, run deep, thanks to his decades-long partnership and childhood friendship with Dana White. The Fertittas famously took the UFC from a struggling brand to a $4 billion juggernaut, selling it in 2016 to a group led by WME-IMG (now Endeavor), alongside Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and MSD Capital. 

Given his track record of turning struggling combat sports properties into global successes, even the hint of Fertitta’s interest in TNA is enough to get fans talking. Apart from this, TNA iMPACT could also move to Wednesday to start another wrestling war: The Wednesday Night Wars!

WWE reportedly wants TNA to move to Wednesday to compete with AEW Dynamite

TNA iMPACT! has been airing on the Anthem-owned AXS TV or through the TNA+ app since 2019. But that could soon change. As noted earlier, TNA President Carlos Silva revealed that the company has been in talks for a new media rights deal since early 2025 to expand its television presence. Now, those discussions are heating up and could result in the modern age’s wrestling wars. 

According to new reports, The CW has shown interest in TNA Wrestling. Moreover, sources also say the company is open to moving its flagship show from Thursday to Wednesday nights, a bold shift that would put it in direct competition with AEW Dynamite. 

Triple H, Tony Khan, WWE vs. AEW
Triple H, Tony Khan, WWE vs. AEW (via USA Today and Wrestling Inc.)

Every wrestling fan would know that this is similar to the original Monday Night Wars that took place between 1995 and 2001, with Monday Night Raw and Monday Nitro going head-to-head against each other. In a report from Jon Alba of The Takedown on SI, multiple independent sources confirmed talks about TNA potentially moving to a WWE-associated network.

The company is even open to shifting from Thursday to Wednesday nights to go head-to-head with AEW Dynamite. The CW’s interest in the promotion is legitimate, and that some WWE stakeholders would like TNA to be a part of the network.

Jon Alba via Sports Illustrated

Since 2019, All Elite Wrestling has aired AEW Dynamite on Wednesday evenings. To heat up things, time slots of either 8–10 p.m. ET or 9–11 p.m. ET are being considered for future iMPACT! broadcasts. Earlier this month, rumors linked both The CW and A&E as potential new homes for TNA. The CW currently airs WWE NXT in the U.S., while A&E broadcasts WWE-related documentaries and WWE LFG.

However, no deal has been finalized yet, and negotiations are still ongoing. TNA is reportedly seeking a media rights deal worth between $7 million and $10 million annually, which would allow iMPACT! to air live each week.

There have also been rumors of a WWE premium live event headlined by John Cena vs. Brock Lesnar, scheduled to go head-to-head with AEW’s All Out on September 20. In addition, reports suggest that Cena’s retirement match, planned for December later this year, could be positioned directly against AEW’s Worlds End event as part of a counter-programming strategy.

It’s clear that the wrestling landscape is heating up once again, with WWE seemingly determined to prevent AEW from gaining momentum, and possibly to disrupt their chances of renewing a TV rights deal with Warner Bros. Discovery in 2027 or 2028.

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