Running the UFC with an iron fist since 2001 and with his official title adjusted to CEO instead of president in 2023, Dana White has no plans of slowing down any of the businesses he has committed himself to, including the UFC.
Even after Zuffa sold to WME-IMG (now Endeavor) in the summer of 2016, White said in an interview with Tucker Carlson he still has the same passion for the UFC and MMA as he did over two decades ago.
“I’m still out building new brands and doing s*** that I don’t need to be doing,” White said. “But I do it because I love it. You know how many people in a sale like mine in 2016, you never [saw] that guy again? They’re done.”
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White has famously uttered to people that a job someone has shouldn’t be a job they hate. It should be something that, if it’s making them money and bringing them success and happiness, is treated as part of his or her life.
“No matter what walk of life you’re in, once you get to a certain level of success, you have to be a certain type of person to stay hungry and get out and fight every day,” White added.
Although White never initially intended for the promotion to be sold, his appreciation for what the sport had become made him have second thoughts, especially after his ex-business partners, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta III, highly encouraged him to stick around.
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“When we sold in 2016, 99 percent of the people said that I was going to retire and walk away. I’m not wired like that,” White said.
White called the current state of the UFC “very inspirational” in an interview with Mark Bouris, saying he greatly appreciates the smaller brand values (finding future champions, freedom of expression, etc.).
It’s safe to assume given White’s influence, it is going to be years before the ex-bellman removes himself from his front-row seat, monitor, and promotional mouthpiece for good.
Mark Bouris asks Dana White: Your aspirational journey, do you see how important that is relative to the UFC brand and do you live it?pic.twitter.com/5gC75Tdt4b
— Jed I. Goodman © (@jedigoodman) February 5, 2025
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Of course, anything is possible.
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