TKO COO Mark Shapiro confirms changes to WWE talent pay following ESPN & Netflix deals; teases more events in Middle East in 2026
(Courtesy : WWE)
TKO COO attended the Goldman Sachs Conference.
In his recent appearance at the Goldman Sachs Conference, TKO COO Mark Shapiro was questioned about how the company balances talent costs with the marketing investment made to support and build WWE and UFC stars.
Shapiro confirmed that TKO restructured WWE superstar and UFC fighter pay following its new media deals with ESPN, Netflix, Paramount+, CBS, Peacock, and Sky. He also added that those changes are already reflected in TKO’s financial projections.
“Let’s talk about the pay for the superstars and our fighters first. What I would tell you is post our new deals with ESPN on WWE and with Paramount+, CBS, Peacock, Sky with UFC, and even a little bit post Raw with Netflix, we did resize our fighter and superstar pay composition. That is baked into our numbers. So there will be no further adverse impact with regard to how that plays out or divvies out.
The TKO COO further highlighted the importance of TKO’s talent development strategy, with WWE’s NXT serving as a key pathway for preparing performers for the main roster.
We’re confident with where we sit. We have 600 fighters as an example in our stable at the UFC. We do, to your point, really rely on development. Keep in mind that when you look at the WWE, 75% of the superstars come from NXT. So they’re starting in our development league and going all the way up. So pipeline is very important to our strategy.”
For UFC, he pointed to the Performance Institutes in Las Vegas, Mexico City, and China as vital parts of the company’s development system. He also noted that TKO plans to continue expanding earning opportunities for WWE and UFC talent through advertising and marketing partnerships, along with performance bonuses for UFC fighters.
“On the UFC front, we’ve really capitalized on the investments of our performance centers in Mexico City and Vegas, and particularly China. We’re really getting real traction.
So that’s a big part of our strategy. It will continue to be a big part of our strategy, and we will continue to be aggressive in other monetization opportunities for both our superstars and our UFC fighters with regard to advertiser deals, marketing partnerships, bonuses through the fight card in terms of finishes and fight of the night.
What you see is you see the best of the best signing up and lining up to be a part of the UFC and to be a part of WWE. So that’s something we always watch out for and we want to make sure that we’re really spreading the opportunities, but the strategy’s working. Our margins will continue to expand.”
Mark Shapiro teases more shows in Middle East
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WWE will return to Saudi Arabia for Crown Jewel 2026, which takes place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Riyadh Season Stadium at KAFD in Riyadh. The promotion will also host WrestleMania 43 next year in the country, the first Mania outside North America.
Similarly, UFC also has upcoming events in Qatar and Abu Dhabi, signifying a working relationship with countries like Saudi Arabia. In his appearance, TKO Mark Shapiro also discussed the TKO partnership with Saudi Arabia.
The TKO COO highlighted the growing demand for WWE and UFC events in the Middle East, pointing to WrestleMania’s upcoming Saudi Arabia debut as a major milestone.
“Obviously nothing bigger next year than WrestleMania being in Saudi Arabia, which will be one to remember and one not to miss. Of course, our partners in Saudi bring the UFC and WWE to their region because they’re trying to draw attendance from not just around the globe, but certainly in the Middle East. All I would tell you is when it comes to the Middle East, despite what’s going on, despite how much longer that may go on, they’re open for business.
He also noted that Saudi Arabia remains eager to host major live events despite regional challenges, with demand for sports and entertainment events continuing to outpace supply.
In fact, I would tell you they’re more hungry to bring live events, not just sports, but concerts to the Middle East to show the world and tourism and fans that they’re open for business and they’re not slowing down. We’ve stayed on track with our events for this year. We still have two more events this year.“
Shapiro also added that they may announce a couple more events this year, pointing to the enormous demand.
“We may actually announce a couple more this year. That’s how much demand we’re seeing, and I think that’s ultimately the headline among the headlines when it comes to TKO and where we sit in the sports entertainment ecosystem. Demand is outstripping supply.”
[H/T: Fightful]
When and where will Crown Jewel 2026 take place?
The 2026 edition of Crown Jewel takes place on Saturday, November 7, 2026, at the Riyadh Season Stadium at KAFD in Riyadh.
When and where will WrestleMania 43 take place?
WrestleMania 43 will take place as a two-night event in April 2027 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. However, WWE has yet to confirm the date for the PLE.
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