WWE has experienced significant growth in the Endeavor era, with some sort of unprecedented deal or partnership being announced every week it seems. TKO has just revealed another major happening for the WWE Universe and beyond.
World Wrestling Entertainment and the Ultimate Fighting Championship competed on at least some level for years, and at times worked together, until the two companies merged to form TKO after Endeavor’s WWE acquisition. The combat sports shocker came seven years after Endeavor first purchased a controlling interest in UFC, and two years after acquiring full control.
TKO’s wrestling and MMA promotions have ran the T-Mobile Arena near Las Vegas since the 20,000-seat indoor arena opened in April 2016. The first-ever wrestling event held at the venue was Money In the Bank 2016, and several shows related to WrestleMania 41 Week were held there earlier this year. The month after WWE debuted, the world’s top MMA promotion arrived with UFC 200, then signed a seven-year agreement in March 2017 to become an official tenant of the arena.
AEW drew T-Mobile Arena’s first $1 million-plus gate for Double Or Nothing 2022, but now TKO has locked in WWE and UFC events for T-Mobile Arena through 2030 in a newly-announced extension of the landmark multi-year partnership. The venue was touted as the official home for UFC and WWE in Las Vegas.
TKO’s new deal with the MGM Resorts International-operated arena guarantees at least four annual UFC events and two WWE events. UFC President & CEO Dana White commented in today’s press release, and looked ahead to more success.
“T-Mobile Arena has been home to some of the most iconic UFC fights of the last decade. Five of our top 10 biggest gates have happened in that arena, and I look forward to breaking more records together,” Dana White said.
TKO confirmed how T-Mobile Arena will host RAW and SmackDown during WrestleMania 42 Week in 2026, adding that today’s announcement underscores WWE’s growing presence in the sports and entertainment capital of the world. TKO Executive Vice President of Event Development & Operations Peter Dropick commented on how proud the company is to ink what was called a milestone deal.
“AEG and T-Mobile Arena have been tremendous partners over the past eight years, and we’re thrilled to expand this relationship across TKO to include both UFC and WWE events. T-Mobile Arena has become a classic Las Vegas arena known for showcasing some of the biggest sports and entertainment events. We’re proud that UFC and WWE will continue to be featured among T-Mobile Arena’s top events through the end of the decade,” Peter Dropick said.
TKO-affiliated events will also receive priority scheduling during key time periods such as International Fight Week, and likely WrestleMania Week, under the extension. When these events take place, TKO will have a prominent presence throughout T-Mobile Arena, including a co-headlining spot on welcome signage in the lobby alongside the Vegas Golden Knights, branded activations on the concourse, and retail space inside the venue.
TKO Recently Inked WWE-UFC Deal With The Delta Center
WWE recently announced Saturday Night’s Main Event XLI for November 1 from the Delta Center in Salt Lake City, Utah. The 41st SNME special will air at 7pm ET on Peacock, which is a big change from before due to the new WWE-NBCU deal for the primetime special. Before the new deal, SNME returned in December 2024 and has been airing at 8pm ET on Peacock and NBC.
WWE first ran the Delta Center in Salt Lake City for a house show in November 1991, less than one month after the 20,000-seat arena opened up. WWE and WCW both ran a few house shows at the Delta Center through the 1990s. WWE returned for one non-televised house show in 2001, but ran other venues in the area until returning for RAW in September 2023. Since then, WWE has hosted a handful of TV shows from the home of the NBA’s Utah Jazz and the NHL’s Utah Mammoth, including two sets of double SmackDown tapings in 2024. Now the WWE’s parent company has inked a longterm deal with the arena owned by billionaire Ryan Smith and his Smith Entertainment Group.
TKO joined Smith Entertainment Group and the Utah Sports Commission in recently announcing a new deal that will bring WWE and UFC events to The Crossroads of The West through 2026. This builds on the relationship forged in recent years by TKO, the Commission, and SEG, which led to three successful events at the Delta Center: UFC 278 in 2022, UFC 291 in 2023, and UFC 307 in 2024. Research firm Applied Analysis reported that these three UFC events generated a total economic impact of $74.1 million for the Salt Lake City area. Now WWE is set to add to that value in a major way.
WWE will host its Halloween edition of SmackDown from the Delta Center on Friday, October 31. The next night, Saturday Night’s Main Event 41 will be held at the same arena. Combo tickets will go on sale at 10am local time on Friday, September 5 via SeatGeek.
“We can’t say enough about how great partners and hosts the Utah Sports Commission and Smith Entertainment Group have been for our events. In recent years, Salt Lake City and Delta Center have become a top destination to bring exciting, action-packed UFC and WWE events to our fans in Utah, and we’re thrilled to continue that relationship into 2026,” said Peter Dropick, TKO’s Executive Vice President of Event Development & Operations.
UFC will return to the Delta Center in 2026 with a signature numbered event to be announced. Details on all upcoming WWE and UFC events will be announced in the near future, according to TKO’s press release. VIP Experience packages will also be available via On Location, TKO’s Official VIP Experience Provider.
“Our expanded partnership with TKO and Smith Entertainment Group offers yet another opportunity to position Utah as a premier destination for key global sports and entertainment events. Our ability to welcome a major WWE event in 2025 and the UFC again in 2026 is a tribute to our growing sports and entertainment ecosystem in Utah, the State of Sport,” said Jeff Robbins, the Utah Sports Commission’s President & CEO.
TKO’s announcement touted how UFC currently holds the top three spots for the highest-grossing events in Delta Center history. UFC 278: Usman vs. Edwards II in 2022 broke the arena’s live event gate record with a crowd of 18,321. In 2023, UFC 291: Poirier vs. Gaethje II set a new gate record with attendance of 18,467. Last year, UFC 307: Pereira vs. Rountree Jr. drew over 17,400 fans for the second-highest grossing event ever in the history of the venue, behind UFC 291.
“We are thrilled that live WWE entertainment and UFC action will return to Utah. Every TKO event Delta Center has hosted has captivated fans and brought people from across the country into Salt Lake City, creating opportunities to showcase Utah’s world class sports and entertainment landscape. We value our continued collaboration with TKO and the Utah Sports Commission and look forward to setting new records together when these incredible experiences take over Delta Center,” said Chris Barney, Smith Entertainment Group’s President of Revenue & Commercial Strategy.