Dana White

Early life and education

White was born in Manchester, Connecticut, the son of June and Dana White. He and his sister Kelly were raised by their mother and her family for the majority of their childhoods. He is of Irish descent. He began boxing at age 17 and graduated from Hermon High School in Maine in 1987.

Ultimate Fighting Championship (2001–present)

While working as a manager for Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, White learned that Semaphore Entertainment Group, the parent company of the UFC, was looking for a buyer for the UFC. White contacted childhood friend Lorenzo Fertitta, an executive at Station Casinos and a former commissioner of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. Within a month, in January 2001, Lorenzo and his older brother Frank bought the UFC with White installed as its president.

White owns 9% of Zuffa, LLC, the entity the Fertitta brothers created to own and manage the UFC. In July 2016 the UFC was sold to a consortium of investors led by WME-IMG. White confirmed the sale though did not announce the price. He added that he would be continuing in his role as president.

In May 2017, the UFC announced White would hold Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series monthly on UFC Fight Pass. As with the earlier web series Looking for a Fight, the goal of the series is for White to scout talent for the UFC.

Bob Arum

In 2007, White accused Top Rank Boxing Promoter, Bob Arum of "sucking the life out of the sport (boxing) and not putting anything back in." Amongst White's criticisms were that Arum had created a weak undercard for the Oscar De La Hoya vs. Floyd Mayweather superfight in 2007 by not promoting the show correctly. "He promoted that show completely the wrong way, because he worried about the money as opposed to trying to secure the future", White said. "He should have stacked that card. He should have had Shane Mosley and Bernard Hopkins and [Marco Antonio] Barrera and Winky Wright on there and used it to show that boxing is back." Arum responded by saying that MMA fighters need to examine the revenues being generated and ask why the UFC was not paying them more. White has also said that Arum is the "Dumbest promoter in the history of the world", an "idiot" and a "moron". Arum retorted that MMA fighters are "guys rolling around like homosexuals on the ground." Earlier in the year, Arum described UFC President Dana White as "nuts" and "a little too much of a loose cannon."

Randy Couture

White and former UFC Light Heavyweight and Heavyweight champion Randy Couture have had some controversy. White stated in an interview that he has "no respect for Couture, not even a little. The only time when he's ever a man is when he steps in that cage." When Couture retired from the sport and then subsequently signed on with Spike and Bellator, White claimed that Couture "Lied to me, not even to my face, not over the phone, but through text."

Tito Ortiz

Among White's many feuds, his most publicized has been his feud with former UFC Light Heavyweight Champion and UFC Hall of Famer Tito Ortiz. Their feud began soon after White became president of the UFC when he told Ortiz he could no longer be his manager. Ortiz felt betrayed. Ortiz then stated that White "never did anything for him," and White stated he did not get paid "a fucking dime." Their feud got to the point to where the two agreed to fight in a three-round exhibition boxing match.

Eventually, Ortiz pulled out of the match by not showing up the day of the weigh-ins. In 2014, White even stated in an interview that "I used to beat the living shit out of Tito Ortiz."

In 2008, at the weigh-ins for UFC 84, Ortiz wore a T-shirt saying "Dana is my bitch." White also stated in an interview that Ortiz is the "Cheapest Motherfucker on the planet Earth."

In 2013, Ortiz called White a "Slave master" and White responded by stating that Ortiz was a "fucking buffoon" and "one of the dumbest motherfuckers you'll ever meet." In 2014, Ortiz accused the UFC of "erasing" his legacy, after his record of 15 wins was revised and Jon Jones was named the record holder for most wins in the light heavyweight weight class. Ortiz referenced the personal dispute with White as a reason for the revision, and he furthered his attacks on White with allegations of steroid use.

Ken Shamrock

White has been very vocal about his dislike of former UFC fighter and openweight champion Ken Shamrock. Shamrock had been known to ally himself with other fighting promotions competing with the UFC, have litigious contract disputes with White, and take issues with White personally. There was also one point when Shamrock filed a lawsuit against White, in which the judge ruled in the UFC's favor. White stated that Shamrock owes him money for the lawsuit and stated that he had done so much for the former UFC great and felt the MMA legend was ungrateful for his efforts.

Loretta Hunt

In a 2009 video blog, upset with reporting and comments made by mixed martial arts reporter Loretta Hunt, White used expletives and derogatory language when referring to Hunt. He also used expletives when referring to sources for some news reports, including an anti-gay slur.

Filmography

Personal life

In 2011, White's mother wrote a book about him titled Dana White, King of MMA: Dana White an Unauthorized Biography. In an interview promoting the book, she called her son "egotistical, self-centered, arrogant, and cruel". White is an atheist.

In May 2012, White revealed that he had been diagnosed with Ménière's disease, a neurological disorder. 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 as per doctors' orders. White is undergoing Orthokine treatment for Ménière's disease, which he says has greatly reduced his symptoms.

White spoke at the 2016 Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, where he endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump.

Accomplishments