Vince McMahon had no veto power over Spike TV’s decision to air The Ultimate Fighter immediately after WWE RAW in 2005.
The idea that McMahon could have blocked the move gained traction over the years, largely because of Paul Heyman. In 2010, Heyman, now a WWE Hall of Famer, told Ariel Helwani that WWE had the right to approve or reject whatever aired right after RAW. Heyman also said he had warned McMahon about the risk of strengthening the UFC.
During a recent appearance on The Ariel Helwani Show, however, former Spike TV president Kevin Kay rejected that account, saying WWE never had any control over that time slot.
“I’ve read people say that Vince had control over the time slot after, which was not true.”
Kay explained that Lorenzo Fertitta, Frank Fertitta and Dana White approached the network after struggling to get the UFC on television. Because Spike TV’s budget for the following year was already committed, the UFC agreed to put up about $10 million to produce the first season.
When Lorenzo Fertitta asked where the show would air, Kay offered the slot directly after RAW so The Ultimate Fighter would have a big lead-in. Kay said he did not even have to ask WWE for permission.
The Ultimate Fighter premiered on January 17, 2005. Kay said viewership grew throughout the season, culminating in the historic finale between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar, which helped solidify the partnership between the UFC and Spike TV.
Later that year, RAW left Spike TV and moved back to USA Network. The UFC, on the other hand, stayed on Spike TV and took up significantly more of the network’s schedule in the years that followed.
WWE and the UFC ended up under the same corporate umbrella in September 2023 with the formation of TKO Group Holdings. McMahon left his roles at TKO and WWE in January 2024.