In January of 2001 the Fertitta brothers purchased the then struggling Ultimate Fighting Champion from SEG for a mere $2 million.

“I had my attorneys tell me that I was crazy because I wasn’t buying anything. And I said ‘What you don’t understand is I’m getting the most valuable thing that I could possibly have, which is those three letters: UFC”. Speaking to Fighters Only Magazine.

Fast forward to the year 2016, the Fertitta brothers decided to finally part ways with the UFC after taking it from the brink of extinction to a worldwide phenomenon. With a price tag of $4 billion which set a record for the highest purchase in sports history, the new owners were revealed to be talent agency juggernaut William Morris Endeavor Entertainment, LLC which is run by co-CEOs Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell.

So what does this purchase mean for the future of the Ultimate Fighting Championship?

Well given WME also represents several A-list celebrities, it was recently announced a handful of stars had purchased a small stake of the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

These names include Mark Wahlberg, Tom Brady, Ben Affleck, Serena Williams, LL Cool L and of course talk show host Conan O’Brien.

Having hosted UFC stars such as Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor on his program, Conan insists his stake isn’t just for show but as means for him to compete, yes compete inside of the eight sided cage.

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Conan Christopher O’Brien (born April 18, 1963) is an American comedian, television host, writer, producer, musician, and voice actor. He is best known for hosting several late-night talk shows; since 2010 he has hosted Conan on the cable channel TBS, which a late-night talk show, special travel show and hosted narrator documentary. Describing itself as a traditional late-night talk show, Conan draws its comedy from recent news stories, political figures and prominent celebrities, as well as aspects of the show itself. [source : wiki]