Mike Chiappetta • E-mail

Zuffa co-owner Lorenzo Fertitta has resigned his position as president of Station Casinos in Las Vegas to work fulltime with the UFC.

The 39-year-old Fertitta, ranked No. 380 on Forbes' 2007 list of richest Americans with a net worth of $1.3 billion, is expected to take a major role in growing the UFC as an international business.

UFC has established its foothold on the American MMA scene, but in recent years has also spread its footprint globally.

In 2008, the organization has held events in England and Canada, and signed TV deals in several international markets, including with Mexico's Galavision. The company is also hoping to do shows in Germany, The Philippines and possibly even Brazil in the near future.

Fertitta may also have a hand in eventually bringing a major TV deal. SpikeTV has been the television home of the UFC since January 2005, but in recent months, speculation has heated up that the company would increase their television presence by signing a deal with a network or premium cable channel.

Lorenzo Fertitta was the second-highest paid Las Vegas executive in 2007 with earnings of $113.8 million, according to InBusinessLasVegas.com. His brother Frank topped the list at $125.9 million.

His presence along with UFC President Dana White gives the company two leaders to handle the massive growth in different aspects of the business.

Lorenzo Fertitta along with his brother Frank bought the UFC for $2 million in 2001, and installed White as the President under their parent company, Zuffa. At the time, the company was struggling financially and widely regarded as a blood sport. By 2006, the UFC broke the yearly record for pay-per-view revenue, besting both boxing and WWE with over $200 million.

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