From: officialflagrant
Dana White is the CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization now valued at $12-13 billion [00:00:19]. His journey with the UFC began unexpectedly and was marked by significant financial challenges and strategic decisions.
Early Life and Path to Vegas
Dana White recalls a rumor that there was a hit out on him by Whitey Bulger in Boston, which he states is “not true” [00:01:19]. However, he acknowledges that a situation “sort of like that” occurred, though it wasn’t Bulger [00:01:25]. In Boston, Whitey Bulger “ran Southeast” and there were rules in town, such as not calling the police [00:01:31]. It was later discovered that Bulger was working with the FBI against other mob figures [00:01:52].
A situation arose where “one of his guys” claimed Dana White owed him money, though Dana White asserts he didn’t [00:02:11]. He received a phone call stating he had until Sunday to pay, with a threat of “you’re going to find out” if he didn’t [00:02:24]. This led him to immediately book a one-way ticket to Vegas [00:02:34]. He believes that if this event hadn’t happened, he “wouldn’t have been in Vegas at the time that all this was going on,” including the purchase of the UFC [00:02:41].
In his twenties, Dana White quit drinking at age 21 and focused solely on work [00:03:19]. He had a “blanket policy” of not attending any friends’ weddings because they were “time consuming” and happening every weekend [00:03:44]. However, he made an exception for Adam Corgan, a childhood friend from Vegas who used to drive him to school every day [00:04:24]. At Corgan’s wedding, Dana White encountered Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, whom he had known since high school [00:04:55]. Lorenzo, who had just joined the athletic commission, expressed interest in training with Dana White in boxing [00:05:28]. They started training the following Monday and have been together ever since [00:05:33].
Entering the Fight World
Dana White was running boxing gyms and training people [00:06:00]. In Vegas, he worked out of a gym called United Champions alongside Muay Thai trainer Nick “One Kick” and Roger Mayweather [00:06:09]. Roger Mayweather trained Floyd Mayweather while Floyd’s father was in jail, which is how Dana White became close with Floyd [00:06:31]. Dana White describes Roger Mayweather as a “maniac” who would often get into fights in the gym, even taking on professional heavyweights despite being much lighter [00:06:27].
Dana White has always been drawn to fighting, from boxing and martial arts to street fights at the park [00:09:42]. He describes the “real fight world” as a “crazy business” [00:09:37].
Acquisition of the UFC
Prior to buying the UFC, Dana White was managing boxers and MMA fighters [00:15:07]. He negotiated a fight for Derek Harmon against Roy Jones Jr., which was the biggest deal he had done at that point [00:16:09].
He managed Tito Ortiz, who had been “f---ed over” by the UFC owners on a payment for a fight that didn’t do well [00:20:05]. While negotiating Ortiz’s new contract and trying to get him the owed money, the owner of the UFC “blew up” and stated he didn’t know if he could even put on the next event due to financial troubles [00:20:39].
Dana White immediately called the Fertitta brothers, informing them the UFC was in trouble and suggesting they could buy the company [00:20:56]. A month and a half later, they bought the UFC for $2 million in 2001 [00:21:14].
At the time of purchase, the UFC was seen as the “redheaded stepchild of the Fertitta portfolio” by their financial advisors, who believed it was a ridiculous investment [00:22:00]. Dana White, Frank, and Lorenzo were the only ones who believed in it [00:22:25].
They initially bought “those three letters and an old wooden octagon” along with about 13-14 fighter contracts [00:24:07]. The previous owner had sold off many rights, including home video and video game rights, to Lionsgate Entertainment [00:24:17]. Dana White and the Fertittas negotiated to buy back their intellectual property rights, including t-shirts, video games, and action figures [00:24:36]. Lionsgate sold these rights for $3 million over four years, which Dana White highlights as a clear sign that “people didn’t believe” in the UFC’s potential [00:25:01].
One of their first revenue streams came from DVD sales, including compilation shows like “best knockouts” and “best submissions” [00:25:47].
Financial Struggles and the Turning Point
The UFC faced significant financial struggles in its early years under the new ownership. Dana White admits they were “upside down $40 million” by 2004 [00:23:30]. They were losing money on shows, overhead, and employee expenses [00:23:46].
In 2004, Lorenzo Fertitta called Dana White and said, “I don’t know if we can keep doing this man” [00:00:02]. He instructed Dana White to “see what you could sell this thing for” [00:27:45]. Dana White estimates they could sell it for $6-7 million [00:27:52]. The next morning, Lorenzo called back and said, “F--- it, let’s keep going” [00:28:14].
They believed that getting on free television was key to success [00:28:28]. They approached Spike TV (formerly Nashville Network and Men’s Network) with a concept for a reality show called The Ultimate Fighter (TUF) [00:28:46]. Spike TV executives initially “hated it” [00:29:02]. Three days later, Dana White called them back and proposed that the UFC would put up the $10 million to produce the show themselves [00:29:32]. Spike TV liked this idea better, and the UFC retained 100% of all rights [00:29:43].
TUF “took off immediately” [00:36:51]. By episode five, it was pulling “massive numbers” [00:36:56]. Despite its success, the UFC, being a time-buy show, received “zero love” in terms of network promotion [00:37:30].
The pivotal moment came during the finale of TUF Season 1 in 2005 [00:37:31]. The first fight, Diego Sanchez vs. Kenny Florian, was good [00:38:22]. However, the main event between Forrest Griffin and Stephan Bonnar was a “toe-to-toe, knock down, drag them out” fight [00:38:33]. The crowd chanted “one more round” [00:39:00]. During the fight, Nielsen ratings spiked, surpassing even the Masters on CBS [00:39:23]. That night, Spike TV executives pulled the UFC team into an alley outside the Cox Pavilion and negotiated their television deal “on a napkin” [00:39:50].
By 2006 or 2007, the UFC started to climb out of its $40 million hole [00:41:40].
UFC’s Growth and Philosophy
Dana White’s business ventures and strategies have led to significant growth. He explains that while boxing features promoters keeping fighters apart, the UFC is a unified league where “every f---ing weekend you see the fight that you want to see” [00:43:53]. He emphasizes investing in both fighters, ensuring that losing a fight doesn’t end a career, unlike in boxing [00:44:06]. He aims to build a business around “blood and guts guys” who give it their all, Win, Lose, or Draw [00:44:59].
The UFC uses a reward structure, including “best fight bonus,” to incentivize exciting performances [00:45:51]. This contrasts with boxing, where fighters might “avoid a fight” to secure a larger payday [00:46:38].
Dana White highlights the focus on health and safety, investing “s---loads of money” into proper medical testing before fights and post-fight care [00:36:17]. He states that on average, 10-12 boxers die a year, but there has “never a death” in the UFC [00:35:17]. He explains that boxing gloves can cause more injury and that sparring takes years off a boxer’s career [00:35:35].
He emphasizes the importance of storytelling to create a “rooting interest” for fans [01:05:01]. Through shows like the Contender Series, they tell fighters’ stories before they even step into the UFC, allowing millions of people to see them fight and learn about them [01:07:19]. While personalities like Conor McGregor or Sean O’Malley are a “home run,” the core focus remains on finding “bad motherf---ers” [01:08:31].
Dana White believes the UFC’s growth also stemmed from boxing’s amateur level falling apart due to corruption [02:21:24]. The shift in youth choosing MMA over boxing or traditional martial arts, particularly Jiu-Jitsu, signaled a major change [02:22:07]. Joe Rogan’s commentary was instrumental in educating viewers on what was happening on the ground during Jiu-Jitsu exchanges, making the sport more understandable [02:22:52].
He credits social media and the internet with changing everything, making it possible for new ventures to grow without needing traditional networks or agents [02:24:01]. Dana White envisions a future where streaming services consolidate into a few major global channels, allowing everyone to watch the same fight at the same time on the same channel [02:26:54].
Key Figures and Fighters in UFC History
- Joe Rogan: Dana White discovered Joe Rogan on the Keenan Ivory Wayans Show, where Rogan passionately discussed ultimate fighting [01:11:58]. Recognizing his passion and knowledge, Dana White invited Rogan to be a commentator [01:12:32]. Rogan worked the first 12 or 13 shows for free because he loved the sport [01:12:57].
- Forrest Griffin & Stephan Bonnar: Their fight at the TUF 1 finale was instrumental in the UFC’s breakthrough [00:38:33]. Griffin became a huge pay-per-view star [00:40:53].
- Jon Jones: Dana White considers Jon Jones the “greatest fighter to ever live” [01:13:34]. Jones has never lost a fight and became the youngest champion in UFC history at 23 [01:14:26]. Dana White believes Jones’s ability to dominate even while allegedly partying during training camps speaks to his unique talent [01:16:51].
- Conor McGregor: Dana White places Conor McGregor on the same level as Muhammad Ali when it comes to “mental warfare” due to his ability to get into opponents’ heads [01:09:47].
Facing Criticism and Future Ventures
Dana White is accustomed to skepticism. When the UFC started, people called it “gross” and too violent [01:34:31], similar to how his new venture, Power Slap, is currently perceived [01:34:43]. He embraces negativity as “extra motivation” [01:44:36].
He emphasizes the UFC’s unique business model, where they invest in fighters and encourage interesting fights, rather than protecting “golden geese” like in boxing [00:43:58]. He dismisses media criticism, stating they “know nothing about this f---ing sport” or its business [00:49:50].
Dana White is planning a UFC event at the Sphere in September as a “love letter to the Mexican people” on Mexican Independence Day [00:50:57]. He has already invested $4 million in video production for the event [00:50:18], noting it’s challenging because “nobody’s ever done a live broadcast out of the f---ing sphere” [00:50:16].
Personal Philosophy and Gambling
Dana White views himself as an entrepreneur who enjoys taking “niche sports that people don’t think work and making them f---ing work” [01:38:35]. This includes Power Slap, which he and the Fertitta brothers also own [01:37:18].
He is a passionate gambler, particularly at Caesars Palace, where he plays baccarat [01:45:57]. He appreciates that Caesars “treats big players right” and that their dealers are supportive [01:46:07]. Since January 1st, he has been in a “war” with Caesars and has beaten them for 1 million [01:53:26], but when he loses, he’ll “go guns of blazing” through his entire 6 million loss, he could still be up $10 million [01:55:01].
Dana White’s gambling experiences illustrate his competitive nature, viewing each session as a “battle” in the “war” of the year [01:52:41]. He values loyalty and takes care of his employees and those who help him [02:07:17].