Patriots Owner Adds UFC to Portfolio: Reports

Foxborough, MA — Tom Brady vs. Jon 'Bones' Jones?

Not likely, but we're one step closer.

Patriots owner Robert Kraft is about to have an ownership stake in the Ultimate Fighting Championship, a new report says.

Sources tell Jeremy Botter of FloCombat that UFC owner Zuffa has sold the MMA league for $4.2 billion to a group led by WME-IMG. Also part of the group is the Dalian Wanda Group, The Kraft Group, and Tencent Holdings, according to the report.

UFC is denying reports of the sale, telling MMAJunkie.comthat the report is false.

In the sports world, the Kraft Group is known for their ownership of Gillette Stadium, the New England Revolution, and the New England Patriots.

The UFC was founded in 1993. In 2001, Semaphore Entertainment Group sold the league to Zuffa for $2 million. The group was founded by brothers Anthony and Lorenzo Fertitta. Both own 40.5 percent of Zuffa while UFC President Dana White has a 9 percent stake and Flash Entertainment owns the remaining shares.

White is expected to stay on board, according to the sources. Former Manchester City FC head Garry Cook is expected to be named the new CEO whole the matchmakers will remain in their current positions.

Word of a potential sale leaked last week when Dave Meltzer of the Wrestling Observer Newsletter and MMA Fighting reported that the UFC received two bids between $3.9 and $4.2 billion.

The sale is believed to be for 100 percent of the company.