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Dana White

From Alfawiki
Dana White
Born
Dana Frederick White Jr.

(1969-07-28) July 28, 1969 (age 57)
Manchester, Connecticut, U.S.
Occupation(s)Entrepreneur, CEO, president
Years active1990s–present
Known forCEO and president of Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), founder of Power Slap

Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American entrepreneur serving as the CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), a premier international mixed martial arts promotion. As of August 2019, his net worth was approximated at . Outside of the UFC, White established and owns Power Slap, a slap fighting league launched in 2022. In 2025, he joined the board of directors at Meta Platforms.

Early life and education

Born on July 28, 1969, in Manchester, Connecticut, White is the son of June and Dana White Sr. An Irish American, he spent much of his childhood in Ware, Massachusetts. Raised mainly by his mother and her relatives, White’s family relocated to Las Vegas when he was in third grade due to his mother’s nursing career seeking better employment opportunities. He attended Bishop Gorman High School, where he first encountered Lorenzo Fertitta, though their friendship developed years later. White struggled academically and was expelled twice. He often spent summers with his grandparents in Levant, Maine, where he completed his senior year at Hermon High School in 1987.

White enrolled briefly at both Quincy College and UMass Boston but left during the initial semester at each institution. During this time, he worked various jobs including asphalt laborer, bouncer at an Irish pub, and bellhop at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Starting boxing at age 17, White partnered with former Golden Gloves champion Peter Welch to open a boxing gym in Boston. Although initially pursuing professional boxing, he abandoned that path after witnessing the impact of neurodegenerative damage on a punch-drunk fighter. He then transitioned into coaching boxercise.

In the early 1990s, after refusing to repay a debt to mobster Whitey Bulger, White left Boston due to threats and settled permanently in Las Vegas. There, he continued his boxercise business and trained in jiu-jitsu under John Lewis—who competed in both UFC 22 and UFC 28—alongside Lorenzo Fertitta and Frank Fertitta III. After about ten years apart, White reconnected with Lorenzo Fertitta at a mutual friend’s wedding. Through Lewis’ training sessions, White met MMA fighters Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, eventually becoming their manager.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

While managing Ortiz and Liddell, White encountered Bob Meyrowitz, owner of Semaphore Entertainment Group—the then-parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Upon learning Meyrowitz intended to sell the UFC, White reached out to his friend Lorenzo Fertitta, an executive co-founder of Station Casinos and former commissioner of the Nevada Athletic Commission. In January 2001, Lorenzo and his brother Frank purchased the UFC for , creating subsidiary company Zuffa, with White appointed president.<ref>He also acquired equity through finder’s fees and sweat equity.<ref>

White explained they obtained only the UFC brand name and an outdated octagon, as previous owners had stripped most assets including UFC.com. Early UFC events under White’s leadership—such as UFC 30 and UFC 31—were held at the Trump Taj Mahal, where White developed a lasting friendship with Donald Trump.<ref>He reinstated Joe Rogan, who began as color commentator at UFC 37.5 in 2002.<ref>

By 2004, the Fertittas had invested over without turning a profit. To generate interest, White collaborated with the Fertittas and producer Craig Piligian to create The Ultimate Fighter, funding it themselves after networks declined to cover production expenses. The show’s finale fight between Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin is widely credited with revitalizing the UFC.<ref>Under White’s guidance, UFC expanded rapidly; by 2006, UFC 66 surpassed one million pay-per-view buys, and by 2008 Forbes valued the organization at .<ref>

In 2010, Flash Entertainment—a subsidiary of Abu Dhabi’s government—purchased a 10% stake in Zuffa for $150–175 million, leaving White with a 9% share while the Fertittas each held 40.5%.<ref>Although initially hesitant about including women’s bouts in UFC in 2011,<ref>White later reversed his stance; in 2013 UFC hosted its first women’s fight featuring Ronda Rousey, who rose to stardom alongside Conor McGregor. Together they accounted for 61% of UFC’s pay-per-view purchases in 2015 when gross revenue reached .<ref>

In July 2016, Zuffa was sold to a consortium led by WME-IMG for ; White remained president and retained an ownership stake.<ref> In March 2019, he signed a new seven-year contract coinciding with UFC's partnership with ESPN.<ref> In April 2023, Endeavor (formerly WME-IMG) announced a merger between UFC and professional wrestling company WWE, forming public entity TKO Group Holdings.<ref> White was elevated to CEO of UFC.<ref>

In August 2025, White revealed a seven-year broadcasting agreement worth $7.7 billion with Paramount and CBS, commencing in 2026 after the ESPN deal expires. This arrangement will grant U.S. viewers access to all UFC content without pay-per-view charges.<ref>

Boxing

Dana White entered the boxing arena by co-promoting the highly publicized Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor bout, utilizing McGregor's existing UFC contract. In October 2017, he declared a strong dedication to promoting boxing. By 2019, White intended to incorporate boxing within the UFC's offerings; however, in 2022, he reversed his stance, describing boxing as "a broken business that is an absolute nightmare to try to fix."

In 2024, he promoted an event featuring Irish boxer Callum Walsh on UFC Fight Pass and revealed plans for a vigorous return to boxing promotion scheduled for 2025.

By March 2025, White collaborated with Turki Al-Sheikh, head of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority, to establish Zuffa Boxing, a new league inspired by the UFC model. This initiative is supported by UFC’s parent company TKO Group Holdings and Saudi entertainment firm Sela, with White appointed as the executive leader.

Other ventures

In 2017, White launched Dana White's Contender Series, initially streaming on UFC Fight Pass. Operating under a promoter’s license independent of the UFC brand, this series provides rising fighters an opportunity to compete for UFC contracts.

White took on the role of executive producer for The Ultimate Surfer, a surfing competition created by renowned surfer Kelly Slater. The show debuted on ABC in August 2021 but was discontinued after one season due to low viewership.

In 2022, White became a co-owner of Thrill One Sports & Entertainment, which oversees properties such as Nitro Circus, Nitrocross, and Street League Skateboarding.

Together with the Fertitta brothers, White co-founded Power Slap, a slap fighting league that premiered in January 2023 and originally aired on TBS. After TBS opted not to renew the contract, Power Slap transitioned to the digital streaming platform Rumble.

In January 2025, Meta Platforms announced White’s appointment to its board of directors.

In May 2025, White joined forces with 1st Phorm and Anheuser-Busch to introduce Phorm Energy, a zero-sugar energy drink brand.

Personal life

White met his wife Anne (née Stella) during eighth grade; they married in 1996 and have two sons and one daughter. In 2006, he acquired a mansion in Pine Island Court, Las Vegas, from Frank Fertitta III for . Between 2016 and 2017, he purchased three more properties in the same neighborhood for approximately , with demolition permits indicating intentions to construct a large family estate.

Raised in the Catholic faith and serving as an altar boy during his youth, White identified as an atheist by 2008. In 2023, he remarked: "I don’t believe in much, but I believe in karma... I never really was guided by religion as I got into my 20s."

In 2011, White’s mother June authored Dana White, King of MMA: An Unauthorized Biography, claiming that following 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."

Health Concerns

In May 2012, White disclosed his diagnosis of Ménière's disease, a condition affecting the inner ear that leads to intense episodes of vertigo. He linked the onset of this disorder to a significant altercation during his younger years. As a result, he was forced to miss the UFC on Fuel TV 3 event—marking the first UFC event he had not attended in over a decade—based on medical recommendations.

The following year, White received Orthokine therapy, which greatly alleviated his symptoms.

In 2022, medical evaluations uncovered dangerously elevated triglyceride levels along with other health abnormalities, with physicians estimating a life expectancy of just over ten years if left untreated. Subsequently, he embraced a ketogenic diet advised by biologist Gary Brecka, which he credits with eliminating his sleep apnea and leg discomfort while significantly enhancing his overall health.

Political Involvement

White publicly supported the Republican candidate Donald Trump during the 2016 Republican National Convention. He acknowledged Trump's early backing of the UFC by permitting its inaugural event under Zuffa management (UFC 30) to be hosted at the Trump Taj Mahal, after other venues declined. White remarked, "No arenas wanted us. This guy reached out, and he's always been a friend to me."

His endorsement of Trump continued through the 2020 presidential race, where he spoke at a Trump rally in Colorado and contributed financially to America First Action Super PAC, an organization promoting Trump's re-election. In April 2020, White collaborated with industry executives to aid in revitalizing the U.S. economy amid the COVID-19 crisis. He reaffirmed his support for Trump in the 2024 campaign and introduced him at the 2024 Republican National Convention.

Personal Interests

White counts himself among fans of the Beastie Boys, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Rage Against the Machine. The death of Adam Yauch profoundly affected him, and he keeps a guitar signed by all members of the Beastie Boys displayed in his office.

A dedicated follower of the New England Patriots, White has expressed admiration for former quarterback Tom Brady. In 2022, he revealed attempts to facilitate a transfer that would bring Brady and Rob Gronkowski to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020; however, this plan was ultimately thwarted, leading both athletes to join the Tampa Bay Buccaneers instead.

Since 1998, White has practiced Brazilian jiu-jitsu, crediting it with enhancing his proficiency in ground combat techniques.

In 2018, he appeared on History Channel's Pawn Stars, where he acquired around worth of katana swords, including one among Rick Harrison's collection of 17th-century Japanese blades.

White is also known as a high-stakes gambler, engaging in blackjack and baccarat at prominent Las Vegas casinos. His bets can reach up to per blackjack hand and as much as per baccarat hand at Caesars Palace. Between January and March 2024, reports indicate he won approximately at Caesars Palace but has also experienced losses up to in one evening. His expressed ambition is to place bets at per hand. Additionally, White participates in sports betting, including a notable wager on boxer Jermain Taylor in 2007.

Incident with Spouse

At a New Year's Eve gathering in 2022 held in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, White and his wife Anne were recorded engaging in a verbal dispute that escalated into physical contact involving mutual slapping. Both parties issued apologies afterward, attributing their behavior to excessive alcohol intake. The UFC chose not to comment publicly on the episode. Following this event, the California Legislative Women's Caucus sent a letter to Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor, which owns UFC, requesting White's removal from his executive role.

Philanthropic Endeavors

White has been actively involved in philanthropy, exemplified by a $50,000 contribution in 2010 to fund a liver transplant for the daughter of a Thai mixed martial arts coach. In 2011, he allocated $100,000 toward upgrading the sports facilities at his alma mater. After the tragic 2017 Las Vegas shooting, he provided $1 million to assist the affected families. Post-UFC 242 in 2019, White donated $100,000 to The Good Fight Foundation, a charity established by Dustin Poirier. Most recently, in 2024, he extended $50,000 in support of those impacted by the Attempted assassination of Donald Trump in Pennsylvania at a rally held in Butler, Pennsylvania.

Honors and Recognitions

External links

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