Conor Benn may be in line for the biggest payday of his career reportedly around $15 million but according to TKO executives, that money isn’t coming from the UFC’s parent company.
During a quarterly earnings call, Mark Shapiro, president and COO of TKO Group Holdings, addressed criticism from UFC fighters who questioned how Benn secured such a lucrative deal under the newly formed Zuffa Boxing banner.
Shapiro’s message was clear: The reported purse is not coming out of TKO’s pocket.
Who’s Actually Paying?
The financial backing comes from SELA, the Saudi Arabia-led entertainment company headed by Turki Alalshikh.