Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Wrestling Entertainment executives decided to name their new publicly traded company TKO to honor the companies' expertise in fighting, but they have broader aspirations than just owning combat sports. That includes eventually going to market together for international media rights and bringing together the company's production efforts and back offices, Shapiro said. After that, TKO plans to swing into acquisition mode to grow the company, he said. Endeavor also owns Professional Bull Riders and two tennis tournaments — the Mutua Madrid Open and the Miami Open. In the coming months, TKO executives will also negotiate new media deals for WWE "Raw" and "SmackDown" on traditional pay TV.

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Persons: WME, Mark Shapiro, Shapiro Organizations: Wrestling Entertainment, New York Stock Exchange, Endeavor Group Holdings, UFC, Hollywood, WWE, CNBC, Endeavor, Professional Bull Riders, Madrid, Miami, WME, Fox