Dana White

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Dana White
Dana White - London 2015 (cropped).jpg
White in 2015
Born
Dana Frederick White Jr.

(1969-07-28) July 28, 1969 (age 54)
Manchester, Connecticut, U.S.
Known forPresident of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC)
Spouse
Anne Stella
​
(m. 1996)​
[1]
Children3

Dana Frederick White Jr.[2] (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman who serves as president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a global mixed martial arts organization.[3] In August 2019, White's net worth was estimated at $500 million.[4]

Early life and education

White was born in Manchester, Connecticut, to June and Dana White Sr.,[5] on July 28, 1969.[6] He is an Irish American.[7] White spent many of his early years residing in Ware, Massachusetts.[8]

White and his sister, Kelly, were raised by their mother and her family for the majority of their childhoods.[9] White's mother was a nurse, and the family moved to Las Vegas when White was in third grade, as Vegas offered higher wages for nurses.[10] White attended Bishop Gorman High School, where he first met Lorenzo Fertitta, although they did not become close friends until years later. White said he disliked school and "got kicked out of Gorman twice".[11] Despite living in Nevada, the Whites returned to the East Coast in the summers, to spend time with White's grandparents in Levant, Maine, a small town near Bangor. White spent his senior year of high school in Maine.[12]

After graduating from Hermon High School in 1987,[13] White started college twice, once at Quincy College and once at UMass Boston, but dropped out during his first semester each time.[14] During this time, he had various jobs, such as laying asphalt, working as a bouncer at an Irish bar, and being a bellhop at the Boston Harbor Hotel. White had begun boxing at age 17, and befriended former Golden Gloves champion Peter Welch. Through this relationship, White decided he wanted to enter the fight business, and he started a boxing gym in Boston with Welch. White initially intended to become a professional boxer himself, but was put off the idea after seeing a punch drunk boxer and worrying that he would suffer the same neurodegeneration.[15] White then worked as a boxercise coach.[16]

White has stated he left Boston to return to Las Vegas after being threatened by mobster Whitey Bulger and his associate Kevin Weeks. "He basically said, 'You owe us money'. It was like $2,500, which was like $25,000 to me back then, and said, 'You owe us money.' It was actually a guy named Kevin Weeks … he's Whitey's right-hand man. I'm sure he's very prominent in the movie, but yeah basically said I owed him some money, and I didn't pay him. This went on for a while and one day I was at my place and I got a call and they said, 'You owe us the money tomorrow by 1 o'clock'. I literally hung up the phone, picked up the phone and called Delta and bought a ticket to Vegas."[17]

In Las Vegas, White continued running boxercise gyms and also began training jiu-jitsu under John Lewis, alongside Lorenzo Fertitta and his older brother Frank Fertitta III.[18] It was in Lewis' practises where White met Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell and ultimately became their manager.[19][18]

Career

Ultimate Fighting Championship

While working as a manager for Ortiz and Liddell, White met Bob Meyrowitz, the owner of Semaphore Entertainment Group, the parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. When White learned that Meyrowitz was looking to sell the UFC, he contacted childhood friend Lorenzo Fertitta (an executive and co-founder of Station Casinos, and former commissioner of the Nevada State Athletic Commission), to ask if he would be interested in acquiring the company. In January 2001, Lorenzo and his older brother Frank acquired the UFC for $2 million, which subsequently became a subsidiary of Zuffa. White was installed as the company's president.[20]

White said that when he and the Fertittas acquired the UFC, all they received was the brand name "UFC" and an old octagon. The previous owners had stripped the company's assets to avoid bankruptcy, so much so that the UFC.com website had been sold to a company named "User Friendly Computers".[21] Over time, with White as president, the UFC developed into a highly successful business, and its gross revenue was $600 million in 2015.[22] In July 2016, Zuffa was sold to a consortium of investors led by WME-IMG for $4.025 billion. White owned 9% of the company at the time of the sale.[23] White continued in his role as president,[24] and was given a stake in the new business.[22]

In May 2017, the UFC announced White would host Dana White's Contender Series. Available exclusively through UFC Fight Pass, the promotion's digital streaming service, and licensed separately from the UFC brand, the show allows up and coming fighters the chance to showcase their talents in hopes that one day they may compete in the UFC.[25]

On March 18, 2019, White signed a new, seven-year contract to remain president of the UFC, as the UFC signed a deal with ESPN.[26][27]

Boxing

White entered the boxing scene by co-promoting Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor due to McGregor being contracted to the UFC. In October 2017, White said at Freddie Roach's Wild Card West boxing club that he was "getting into boxing, 100 percent."[28] White said in 2019 that he wanted to incorporate boxing into the company portfolio of the UFC.[29] He has since backpedaled on these plans, stating in 2022 that boxing promotion is "a broken business that is an absolute nightmare to try to fix".[30]

Personal life

White met his wife Anne (née Stella) when they were in the eighth grade and they married in 1996.[31] They have two sons, Dana III and Aidan, and one daughter, Savannah. Anne values her privacy and keeps out of the public spotlight.[32] White bought a mansion in Pine Island Court, Las Vegas in 2006 from Frank Fertitta III for $1.95 million. White bought three other mansions in the same area from October 2016 to June 2017 for a combined total of around $6.2 million. Demolition permits were issued for the houses, presumably with the intent of creating a mega-mansion for White and his family.[33]

White was raised as a Catholic, but now considers himself to be an atheist.[34]

In 2011, White's mother, June, released the book Dana White, King of MMA: An Unauthorized Biography.[35] June claimed in the book that, since his success with the UFC, Dana had "turned his back on his family and friends who were there for him when he needed help and support".[36]

In a season 15 episode of History Channel's Pawn Stars (originally airing on February 5, 2018), White purchased around $60,000 worth of Katana swords, including one of Rick Harrison's 17th-century Japanese Katana.[37]

White is a fan of the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers and Rage Against the Machine.[38][39] Speaking on the passing of Adam Yauch, White said "I seriously haven't been impacted by a death in a long time like I was with the Beastie Boys".[40] White also has a hand-signed guitar by all three members of the Beastie Boys in his office, alongside a copy of the Beastie Boys Book on the desk.[41][42]

Politics

White spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, where he endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump.[43] White said that Trump helped the UFC at its beginnings, allowing the UFC to host its first event under Zuffa ownership (UFC 30) at the Trump Taj Mahal when others venues refused to host the UFC.[44] White said, "No arenas wanted us. This guy reached out, and he's always been a friend to me."[45] White reiterated his support for Trump for the 2020 election and spoke at the podium at a Trump reelection rally in Colorado.[46] In February 2020, White donated $1 million to America First Action, a super political action committee that supported Trump's re-election.[47] In April 2020, White joined a group of industry leaders to help the United States rebuild its economy hit by the coronavirus pandemic.[48]

Sex-tape lawsuit

White was accused in a sex-tape scandal, when an exotic dancer allegedly taped a sexual encounter with White in Brazil around the year 2014 without his consent. The stripper also alleged White had been seeing her for months during his marriage.[49] The stripper's live-in boyfriend then tried to extort money from White, which resulted in a criminal case against her boyfriend.[50]

In Nevada, on April 3, 2020, a civil suit against White was filed, claiming he offered the boyfriend money to persuade him to plead guilty, which White denied.[49] According to the complaint, White paid $10,000 to the stripper to dance and have sex with him.[51] The lawsuit was dismissed on October 7, 2020.[52]

Health issues

In May 2012, White revealed that he had been diagnosed with Ménière's disease, a neurological disorder.[53] He said, "It's like vertigo but on steroids."[54] White claims that the disease was brought on because of a large fight he was involved in during his youth.[55]

The UFC on Fuel TV 3: Korean Zombie vs. Poirier event was to be the first he had missed in 11 years with White staying home, adhering to medical advice.[56]

White is undergoing Orthokine treatment for Ménière's disease, which he says has greatly reduced his symptoms.[56]

In 2022, White stated he had undergone medical testing and was diagnosed with extremely high triglyceride levels and other irregularities. He was given 10.4 years left to live if he did not rectify the problems. White said that since then he has adhered to a ketogenic diet, which he says has remedied his sleep apnea and alleviated his leg pain.[57][58]

Gambling

White is a recreational gambler.[59] He plays high-stakes blackjack, and has been limited from playing at multiple casinos in Las Vegas. He states he plays $75,000 a hand, and if he wins the first couple of hands, he takes the $150,000 profit and leaves.[60] White also gambles on sports. He stated in 2021 that the biggest sports bet he had placed was in 2007, when he wagered $1 million on Jermain Taylor to beat Kelly Pavlik. Taylor lost the bout by technical knockout, and White said about the experience, "I was in Cabo, relaxing having fun. That ruined my fun. Ruined my whole trip."[61]

Accomplishments

References

  1. ^ "Everything you need to know about Dana White before his GQ Moty appearance". November 9, 2018. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  2. ^ Tabuena, Anton (July 14, 2014). "Video: Learn Dana White's full name, and the first street fight he ever organized". Bloody Elbow. Retrieved July 17, 2014.
  3. ^ Boice, Danny. "Boxer To Entrepreneur: How Dana White Became The Champ Of Mixed Martial Arts". Forbes. Retrieved May 12, 2017.
  4. ^ Joseph, Andrew (August 27, 2019). "Paige VanZant says she earns more through Instagram posts than UFC". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 28, 2019. Retrieved October 12, 2019.
  5. ^ Knapp, Brian (October 15, 2017). "5 Things You Might Not Know About Dana White". Sherdog. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  6. ^ "Famous birthdays for July 28: Dana White, Elizabeth Berkley". UPI. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  7. ^ Dollery, Paul. "UFC boss refers to Ireland as 'the UK' but claims it was a prank on McGregor". The42. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  8. ^ Dupont, Kevin Paul (January 16, 2016). "UFC president Dana White has deep bond with Boston". Boston Globe. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  9. ^ "Fight Night London: Dana White Post-Fight Presser Scrum". YouTube. March 9, 2014. Archived from the original on December 21, 2021. Retrieved June 11, 2016.
  10. ^ "White set to 'bring fight game back to Boston'". ESPN.com. December 23, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  11. ^ Keefer, Case (June 29, 2014). "Lorenzo Fertitta, Dana White built UFC into something big". Las Vegas Sun. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  12. ^ "White set to 'bring fight game back to Boston'". ESPN.com. December 23, 2009. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  13. ^ Clark, Ernie (May 3, 2011). "UFC President Dana White gives $100,000 to fix up Hermon athletic complex". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  14. ^ Wagenheim, Jeff (December 22, 2009). "Better duck: Dana White is coming home". ESPN. Retrieved March 24, 2020.
  15. ^ "Boston homecoming shows White's rapid rise as head of UFC". AP NEWS. April 22, 2021. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  16. ^ Harkness, Ryan (August 23, 2018). "Dana White goes into detail on his boxercise instructor days". MMAmania.com. Retrieved April 12, 2020.
  17. ^ Martin, Damon (September 10, 2015). "Dana White had his own 'Black Mass' experience with Whitey Bulger". Fox Sports. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  18. ^ a b Damon Martin (February 23, 2021). "The Godfather of 155: Jens Pulver looks back at becoming the first UFC lightweight champion 20 years ago". mmafighting.com.
  19. ^ Tony Reid. "John Lewis Talks Vegas Club Scene, Being Managed by Dana White and Jet Setting with the Fertittas". mymmanews.com.
  20. ^ "UFC sold to WME-IMG in unprecedented deal". ESPN.com. July 11, 2016. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  21. ^ Bensinger, Graham (October 3, 2011). "UFC's Dana White on Alcoholic Dad, Donald Trump, the Mob, John McCain & New York". HuffPost. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  22. ^ a b "UFC sold to WME-IMG in unprecedented deal". ESPN.com. July 11, 2016. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  23. ^ McCarthy, Michael (April 10, 2005). "Battles yield winning 'Fighter'". USA Today. Retrieved March 25, 2007.
  24. ^ O'Reilly, Lara (July 11, 2016). "The hugely popular mixed martial arts league UFC has been sold for $4 billion". Business Insider. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  25. ^ Martin, Damon (June 14, 2017). "Dana White receives promoter's license for new contender series separate from UFC". Fox Sports. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  26. ^ Raimondi, Marc (March 18, 2019). "Dana White says he's extended his contract with the UFC for seven more years". MMA Fighting. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  27. ^ "Dana White agrees to new 7-year deal with UFC". ESPN.com. March 19, 2019. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  28. ^ Rafael, Dan (November 9, 2017). "UFC president Dana White interested in promoting boxing matches". ESPN. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  29. ^ Murphy, Darragh. "Dana White planning to bring boxing to the UFC". Sports Joe. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  30. ^ "Dana White: Boxing is 'a broken business that is an absolute nightmare to try to fix'". finance.yahoo.com. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  31. ^ Nash, Brad (November 9, 2018). "Everything You Need To Know About Dana White Before His GQ MOTY Appearance". GQ. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  32. ^ Adams, Jonathan (July 20, 2016). "Dana White, UFC President: 5 Fast Facts You Need to Know". Heavy.com. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  33. ^ "UFC chief Dana White buys 3 homes in exclusive Las Vegas area". Las Vegas Review-Journal. June 6, 2017. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  34. ^ "Dana White Tells Playboy About His Atheism, Steroid Use and Love for Donald Trump". August 14, 2008. Retrieved November 21, 2013.
  35. ^ White, June M. "Dana White, King of Mma: Dana White an Unauthorized Biography". Goodreads. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  36. ^ Molina, Joshua (July 19, 2011). "Dana White's mom calls him a "prick" and "tyrant," who turned his back on his family". Full Contact Fighter. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  37. ^ Dana White Wants Rick's 1600s Japanese Katana. History Channel (Reality). February 5, 2018. Retrieved March 8, 2019.
  38. ^ "Dana White Beat Boxing, Elves and More Hijinks at UFC Holiday Party". Fox Sports. December 16, 2013. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  39. ^ Snell, Patrick (May 7, 2020). "'I don't want to die,' says UFC boss Dana White as sport gets back to business amid pandemic". CNN. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  40. ^ Roth, Matthew (July 8, 2012). "UFC 148 Results: Dana White Says 'Forrest and Tito Looked Old Tonight'". Bleacher Report. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  41. ^ Staff Writers (May 14, 2020). "Cocaine, swords, and a sabre-tooth skull: Inside Dana White's insane UFC war room". Fox Sports. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
  42. ^ Coleman, Joe (November 16, 2020). "ALL ACCESS UFC president Dana White's insane office includes samurai swords, a money gun, bar, a sabre-tooth tiger skull and war room to plan fights". Talk Sport. Retrieved May 25, 2021.
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  44. ^ Zidan, Karim (August 16, 2018). "Why the UFC is a perfect platform for Donald Trump's political ideology". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  45. ^ "UFC's Dana White on loyalty to Trump: 'That guy gave us our start when nobody would talk to us'". The Washington Times. Retrieved October 1, 2019.
  46. ^ Sutare, Patrick (February 23, 2020). "UFC President Dana White Renews Support For Donald Trump, Joins POTUS In Rally". Retrieved March 4, 2020.
  47. ^ O'Connor, Devin (February 27, 2020). "UFC President Dana White Donates $1M to Trump Campaign, Fertittas Supporting GOP House Effort". Casino.org. Retrieved June 9, 2020.
  48. ^ "Donald Trump Includes Dana White in Task Force to Restart the Nation's Economy". EssentiallySports. April 15, 2020.
  49. ^ a b "Stripper filmed sex tape with Dana White without his knowledge, suit claims". Canoe.com. April 5, 2020. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  50. ^ Campbell, Brian (April 4, 2020). "UFC president Dana White named as victim in $200,000 sex-tape extortion lawsuit". CBSSports.com. Retrieved April 1, 2020.
  51. ^ German, Jeff (April 4, 2020). "UFC's Dana White named as extortion victim in sex-tape case". Las Vegas Review-Journal. Retrieved April 5, 2020.
  52. ^ Moyer, Phillip (October 7, 2020). "Judge dismisses convicted extortionist's lawsuit against UFC president Dana White". KSNV.
  53. ^ Iole, Kevin (May 16, 2012). "Dana White diagnosed with Ménière's disease misses first live UFC card in more than 11 years". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  54. ^ Guillen, Adam Jr. (May 15, 2012). "UFCs Dana White reveals he has Meniere's disease". MMAmania.com. Retrieved March 20, 2020.
  55. ^ Rogan, Joe (February 21, 2013). "Joe Rogan Experience #327 - Dana White". YouTube. Retrieved June 17, 2019.[dead YouTube link]
  56. ^ a b Guillen, Adam Jr. (April 18, 2013). "Dana White Meniere's Disease: A-Rod, German stem cell treatment cure UFC President '100 percent'". SB Nation. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  57. ^ Jain, Ujwal (September 23, 2022). ""He gave me 10.4 years to live" - Dana White talks about getting an alarming ultimatum on his life expectancy". www.sportskeeda.com. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  58. ^ "Dana White feels 35 again after being marked for death in a decade". www.mmamania.com. Retrieved September 29, 2022.
  59. ^ "Dana White too successful of a gambler for the Palms, ordered to cut back his play". Archived from the original on June 3, 2014.
  60. ^ "Caesars Palace Dana White's Favorite Las Vegas Casino".
  61. ^ "'I was sure he would kill him' - White recalls $1m bet that ruined his holiday". talkSPORT. November 25, 2021. Retrieved September 30, 2022.
  62. ^ "Dana White honored as "Sportsman of the Year" while $250K awarded to The Caring Place". MMAjunkie.com. July 27, 2009. Archived from the original on July 31, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2019.
  63. ^ Meltzer, Dave (March 6, 2017). "March 6, 2017 Wrestling Observer Newsletter: 2016 Awards issue, talent departing TNA, more". Wrestling Observer Newsletter. Campbell, California: 26. ISSN 1083-9593.
  64. ^ Tucker, Bryan (July 3, 2019). "World MMA Awards 2019 Results". MMA Fighting. Retrieved February 23, 2020.
  65. ^ "UFCs Dana White accepts Patriot Award for humanitarian efforts to raise money for injured soldiers". SB Nation. March 19, 2009. Retrieved June 17, 2019.

External links

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