Nick Khan teases idea of WWE & UFC events running on same day

In a discussion with Bill Simmons taped prior to the official launch of TKO, WWE president Nick Khan gave some hints into how the new company could bolster both WWE and UFC in the near-future.

One of the more interesting hints is the potential of both brands running at different times on the same day (one running internationally earlier in the day with the other running later at night, for example) to create a full-day experience for viewers.

He expects both groups to discuss future dates so they two don’t work against each other for major events. He also said they are having “hyper-focused” conversations about something like a schedule release day or an event like the NFL Draft that could work in a similar way for both companies in terms of fan buzz.

Khan said that both UFC executive VP Craig Borsari and WWE executive VP Kevin Dunn have had “a number of conversations” with each other about “efficiencies” about production and ones that might lead to some news in several months.

He said both WWE wrestlers and UFC fighters will stay separated while acknowledging there are cases like Brock Lesnar and Ronda Rousey as examples of who have done both but that’s a “once in a decade” situation.

Some other notes from the Simmons podcast:

• Khan said Vince McMahon is progressing quite well and to assume he is rehabbing from his major back surgery “faster than he should be.” McMahon was present Tuesday at launch of TKO at the New York Stock Exchange.
• He put over how similar the backgrounds of both McMahon and UFC head Dana White are, and how they had to fight to get to the inside from the outside. While he doesn’t see other questioning the other’s respective booking, he does see them working together on event production and promotion and how to make a joint production “the biggest in the world.”
• Asked again about Stephanie McMahon leaving the company, Khan reiterated his previous statements about how he would have loved to have her still with WWE, but that it was her decision to leave when Vince McMahon returned.

  “I respect the decision. I wish she hadn’t done that and she knows that from me, personally. She’s a terrific executive and a terrific person. That’s her decision. Her relationship with Vince is theirs and once she made it, I have total respect for the decision,” he said.

  Simmons then jokingly suggested she come back in an affair storyline with Test which Khan had to correct him on by reminding Simmons that he had passed away years ago.