The UFC’s “Big Announcement”

After tons of speculation and a long line of rumors including the sale of the company itself to a German based international entertainment company, the UFC finally unveiled their "Big Announcement" this afternoon to employees of the billion dollar company.

So what is the huge announcement that fans have been clamoring to know for the past week now? Lorenzo Fertitta has left his job as president of Station Casinos to come work full time with the UFC.

While this is positive news for the future growth of the UFC, it is surely a major bummer for fans who were expecting something a little more exciting to say the least.

Lorenzo Fertitta along with president Dana White made made the "big announcement" today to their employees at Palace Station, a property of Station Casinos.

Lorenzo talked about his career change and the fact that is wasn’t a indictment of the UFC president and long time friend of Fertitta, Dana White.

"The problem, if there is a problem, is that the business has gotten so successful, it’s requiring more time, focus and attention," Fertitta said. "Station Casinos is a business my family and I have built and now it’s a multi-billion dollar company. But the reality is, the UFC has gone through so much growth in the last eight years, my brother and I felt we’d be better in divide and conquer mode. He’ll stay at Station Casinos and take care of that and I’ll come over here and work on the issues involving the UFC."

White also scoffed at the idea that some might see Fertitta’s move as a sign that the company is in trouble.

"If they think that, beautiful, because it’s better for us," White said. "There just isn’t enough time in the day for me to do everything that needs to be done. Lorenzo’s wife said to me the other day, ‘The two of you together is scary.’ I think what we’re going to be able to do now is amazing.

"I think the potential for the UFC within the next five years globally is that it is going to be bigger than the NFL, bigger than Major League Baseball. As huge as the NFL is here, they don’t give a (expletive) about the NFL in Europe. But fighting transcends continents. Everybody on every continent understands a fight."

According to Fertitta, the UFC has plans to expand beyond the US and UK in the near future. He talked about expanding into countries such as Italy, France, Spain, Russia, Dubai, China, South Korea, Japan and India. Lorenzo also talked about adding more big name sponsors to the list which already includes Bud Light and Harley Davidson.

For the full story read Kevin Iole’s article at Yahoo Sports.