WME-IMG Hopes To Fully Integrate UFC Fighters With Las Vegas Athlete Retreat In May

All 500-plus active UFC fighters have been "invited to gather in Las Vegas in May for a two-day UFC Athlete Retreat, which will be their first full integration into WME-IMG," according to Kevin Iole of YAHOO SPORTS. WME-IMG purchased the UFC in July for $4B-plus, but many of the fighters "haven’t met" co-CEOs Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell. Emanuel and Whitesell are "big on integrating their clients from their various sports to create opportunities for everyone, and the retreat will mark the start of that for the UFC fighters." Athletes, musicians, actors/actresses and celebrities from many different genres who are represented by WME-IMG will "appear at the retreat and will either offer presentations or be available to the fighters to ask questions." The retreat will "allow the fighters to gather information on various topics, though an exact agenda has yet to be set." The retreat will "end with a concert performed" by a WME-IMG client (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/2).