"Frank Fertitta III and Lorenzo Fertitta, owners of Zuffa, parent company of the UFC, cracked Forbes' List of the World's Billionaires for the first time this year. The brothers each check in at #897 (of 1062) with an estimated net worth of $1.3 billion each.
The brothers are listed as self made billionaires from casinos and the UFC. The bio:
Father, Frank Fertitta Jr., got start as a dealer for Stardust Casino in Las Vegas. Saw need for casinos aimed at Sin City locals; opened 5,000-square-foot, 100-slot facility away from Strip simply dubbed The Casino 1976. Expanded to include sports book, restaurant, buffet, bingo hall, more gaming; renamed Bingo Palace. Public 1993. With brother [Frank/Lorenzo] and Colony Capital's Tom Barrack, took company private for $9 billion in cash and assumed debt last year. Purchased professional mixed martial arts league Ultimate Fighting Championship 2001; spent $40 million to improve operations, image. Mass appeal came in 2004 with reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter. Stages monthly pay-per-view events; each averages $30 million in revenue.
Mark Cuban, owner of HDNet Fights, checks in at#446 with an estimated net worth of $2.6 billion. Cuban is also listed as a self made billionaire from the technology industry. His bio:
Former bartender launched early Internet audio and video portal Broadcast.com with Indiana University buddy Todd Wagner. Sold to Yahoo in 1999 for $5.7 billion. Used proceeds to buy pro basketball's Dallas Mavericks from Ross Perot in 2000 for $285 million; team has been to playoffs every season since. Famous for courtside antics; has accumulated $1.5 million in fines for mouthing off to NBA referees. Vying to buy pro baseball's Chicago Cubs from Tribune Co. Building media empire: owns film production, distribution, theater firms. Spends spare time writing blog. Recently competed on ABC's Dancing with the Stars.
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