UFC President Dana White is the man behind the sport’s success. According to Time magazine, he is one of the most powerful celebrities in the world. With a net worth of around $500 million, Time magazine has named him one of the most influential people in the world.
Dana had his share of struggles while climbing to the top. Let’s look at the journey of the man behind UFC’s mega-success.
Early Life
Dana White was born in Manchester, Connecticut on July 28, 1969. For most of their childhood, Dana and his sister Kelly were raised by their mother and family. Dana’s father is of Irish descent, and he identifies as Irish-American.
Dana White spent the majority of his early years living in Ware, Massachusetts. Despite starting college twice, first at Quincy College and then at UMass Boston, he dropped out both times during the first semester.
Dana White began boxing at 17 and eventually became an exercise coach. White eventually moved in with Mark Wahlberg, and the Boston-bred stars lived together for around five months.
What Prompted Dana White’s Move to Las Vegas?
According to Dana White, he moved to Las Vegas after mobster Whitley Bugler and his right-hand man Kevin Weeks threatened him. Kevin Weeks told Dana White that he owed them $2,500. At the time, Dana White said $2,500 was as much as $25,000, and he left Boston immediately and flew to Las Vegas.
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White started his own Enterprises and held aerobics classes in the Las Vegas area. He was an amateur boxer and sports fan. He managed Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, two promising young MMA fighters.
UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship)
Meanwhile, the UFC (Ultimate Fighting Championship) was on the brink of bankruptcy after its long-sanctioning battle. However, that’s when White stepped in. Upon hearing of the UFC’s financial plight, he got in touch with an old childhood friend, Lorenzo Fertitta. It just so happened that Fertitta was, at the time, Nevada State Athletic Commission commissioner and an executive at Station Casinos.
In 2001, Dana White acquired the UFC for $2 million and was appointed president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. Dana bought the company with the help of Lorenzo Fertitta and his older brother Frank. However, when he and the Fertittas first acquired UFC, all they got out of the deal was an old octagon and the brand name “UFC.”
The previous owners stripped the company of its assets to avoid bankruptcy. Even the UFC.com domain name was sold to a company called “User Friendly Computers.”
Dana White’s marketing strategy as president involved taking risks by promoting events where fighters were good entertainers like Chuck Liddell or Tito Ortiz. With a hit reality show, ‘The Ultimate Fighter’, the UFC went mainstream and raked $200 million in pay-per-view revenue by 2006. Since its debut in 2005, The Ultimate Fighter has grown into the United States’ most successful mixed martial arts reality show on cable television.
Dana White’s Net Worth
Dana White helped sell The UFC for $4 billion in July 2016 to talent agency WME-IMG. Lorenzo Fertitta stepped down from his post as chairman, while Dana White‘s 9% stake in the company increased. As part of the deal, White remained the foul-mouthed “face” of the organization.
According to Forbes, Dana White’s net worth as of 2021 is $500 million, including his $20 million annual salary and UFC earnings as a minority owner. After boxing Floyd Mayweather, Dana White took note of the millions Conor McGregor earned millions for himself and the UFC. The match’s success inspired White to launch the new boxing organization, Zuffa Boxing, affiliated with the UFC.
His partnerships also inflate Dana White’s net worth in various brands, like whiskey brand Howlerhead. Whenever UFC events take place, Howler Head is always listed as a sponsor.
Personal Life
Many people wonder, ‘Who is Dana White’s wife?’ Dana married Anne Marie ‘Chickie’ Vasques in 1996. The pair met when she worked at Bank One Ballpark, where they both worked during their teenage years. They have three children together: Tyler, Sophia, and Aidan James.
Dana White is highly protective of Anne’s privacy and tries to keep her and their children out of the public eye. He has said in interviews that he wants them to live ordinary lives away from media scrutiny. However, the couple was under the spotlight for the wrong reason when a leaked video showed the UFC President slapping his wife at a club on New Year’s in 2023.
House
Frank Fertitta III sold White a mansion in Pine Island Court, Las Vegas, in 2006 for $1.95 million. Between October 2016 and June 2017, White purchased three other mansions in the same area for about $6.2 million. He demolished the homes to create one large super mansion with a gaming arcade, a state-of-the-art gym, a basketball court, and an impressive pool.
Cars and Bikes
Many people don’t know that Dana White is a car fanatic. A man worth more than half a billion dollars most certainly has the means to drive, let alone own, cars the rest of us can only dream about. His collection includes a variety of makes and models, from BMWs to Corvettes. Likewise, his bike collection includes Harley-Davidsons and Ducatis.
Politics
In 2016, Dana White spoke at the Republican National Convention and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump. Dana White stated that no venues or arenas wanted to host the event in the early days of the UFC. Trump contacted Dana White and offered to host the UFC event at the Trump Taj Mahal.
In Colorado, White spoke at the podium at a rally for Trump’s 2020 re-election and reiterated his support. White donated $1 million to America First Action, a super PAC supporting Trump’s re-election.
Health Issues
Dana White announced in May 2012 that he had been diagnosed with Ménière’s disease. He said, “It’s like vertigo but on steroids.” Orthokine has been making massive strides in treating White’s Ménière’s disease. According to him, it has greatly reduced his symptoms.
With White adhering to medical advice, he missed the UFC on Fuel TV 3: Korean Zombie vs. Poirier event. This was the first event White missed in 11 years.
Dana White: UFC President
Dana White is one of the most famous people in sports. He’s been called a “savvy, ruthless businessman” with an estimated net worth of $500 million! You may know him as the foul-mouthed face of UFC, and we hope this post gave you more insight into how he rose to fame and fortune.
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