In 2005 Vince McMahon tried to screw over the UFC after Raw left the Spike network to return to the USA network.
In a recent edition of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter Dave Meltzer shed light on an intriguing incident from 2005 involving Vince McMahon and his attempt to undermine the rising popularity of the UFC. During that time, WWE made a significant move by shifting their flagship show Raw from the Spike network back to the USA network. Seizing this opportunity, Spike decided to counterprogram by scheduling a live UFC event to directly compete with Raw’s opening night on USA.
However, McMahon, known for his cunning business tactics, had already devised a plan to sabotage the UFC’s moment in the spotlight. He secretly extended an offer to UFC commentator Mike Goldberg, tempting him to become the lead announcer for Raw, effectively replacing the revered Jim Ross.
McMahon devised a further plan to screw over the UFC as he intended for Goldberg to appear to be committed to the UFC event by attending the venue only to leave at the last moment, flying to Raw to commence commentating for WWE.
As the clock ticked closer to the fateful night, Vince McMahon offered Goldberg a substantial sum of money to execute this audacious plan. However, despite the enticing offer, Goldberg declined McMahon’s proposal. Goldberg felt that he had been treated well by the UFC and he refused to betray their trust and opted against participating in McMahon’s scheme.
Is UFC Now Part Of WWE?
WWE and UFC’s parent company Endeavor recently completed a merger forming a new company called TKO Group Holdings. While both companies remain separate entities with their own programming and live events, the fact that they are both now a part of the same corporation opens the door for crossover events between the two promotions.