New York Times: Ultimate Fighting Championship seemed for years to be a niche sport for those interested in seeing combatants pummel one another in an octagonal cage. But UFC has become a global sports empire — and now commands an eye-popping price tag. The league is expected to announce as soon as Monday that it has sold itself to a group led by the talent giant WME-IMG for about $4 billion. Backing the deal are private-equity heavyweights Silver Lake, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and the investment firm of the billionaire Michael Dell.