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Miesha Tate has fast become one of the UFC's biggest crowd-draws Image Credit: AP

Los Angeles: The UFC has been sold for approximately $4 billion to a group led by Hollywood talent agency WME-IMG.

UFC President Dana White confirmed the sale of the mixed martial arts promotional company in text messages to the media on Sunday night.

WME co-CEO Ari Emanuel also announced the sale early Monday in an internal company email that included SNTV - a joint venture between The Associated Press and IMG. “We’ve been honoured to have UFC and a number of its athletes as clients and couldn’t be happier to take our relationship to this next level as the organisation’s owner and operating partner,” Emanuel said.