Dana White's influence on the Ultimate Fighting Championship is nothing short of extraordinary because he's turned the UFC from a niche sport, which took time for athletic commissions and fans to accept it, to it now being a global phenomenon.

White's involvement with the UFC began in 2001, but not as an owner at first. At the time, the UFC was struggling financially and viewed by many as an underground fighting company with little future. At this time, the rules and regulations of MMA were quite limited and they changed depending on what region of America you were fighting in. 

White, who was a small-time boxing promoter and part-time coach at the time, as well as managing fighters like Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, learned that the then-owners of the UFC, Semaphore Entertainment Group, were looking to sell the organisation. White approached his childhood friends, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, who had amassed a fortune in the casino business. Together, the trio formed an investment group, with the Fertitta brothers putting up the capital, $2 million, to buy the UFC, while Dana White became the president of the company.

How Much Did Dana White Buy the UFC For?

Image Credits: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Under Dana White's guidance as the president, the UFC underwent a total transformation. One of the first key moves was to standardise rules, making the sport safer and more watchable to a wider audience. The introduction of weight classes and stricter regulations, along with efforts to gain state sanctioning, helped the UFC shed its "human cockfighting" image. Slowly, the sport began to gain mainstream credibility. 

The big break, however, came in 2005 with the reality TV show The Ultimate Fighter. Broadcasted on Spike TV, the show introduced millions of new fans to MMA and propelled the UFC into the mainstream. To this day, Forrest Griffin and the late great Stephan Bonnar are held in high esteem among MMA fans because if it wasn't for The Ultimate Fighter season 1 Finale, the UFC may never have taken off. The pair were involved in one of the best wars inside the octagon of all time, leading the sport's popularity to skyrocket.

Ten years later, the UFC had several superstars on their books such as Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey and Conor McGregor, leading the fan base of the sport to grow even further. Nowadays, the UFC is so popular that they are able to put on iconic events at venues such as the Sphere in Paradise, Nevada, which just recently hosted UFC 306.

Arguably the most significant moment in UFC history came in July 2016, when the Fertitta brothers sold the UFC to the global talent agency WME-IMG (now Endeavor Group) for a staggering $4 billion. At the time, it was the largest sports acquisition in history. Despite the sale, Dana White retained his position as UFC President and was given a small stake of 9% in the company. 

Today, the UFC is valued at over $12 billion, and it’s still climbing. The organisation now holds hundreds of events globally each year, has a deal with ESPN worth hundreds of millions as well as several huge sponsorship deals with companies such as Venum, Prime and Modelo. 

Image Credits: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC

Is Dana White the Best Promoter in Combat Sports?

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There is no denying Dana White's success as a promoter. In the world of combat sports, few figures have had as significant an impact on both the sport itself and its business model. 

While he has faced criticism for the way fighters are compensated and other business decisions, his ability to promote and grow the UFC is simply unmatchable. 

While comparisons to other top promoters like boxing promoter Eddie Hearn and Vince McMahon in professional wrestling often arise, it's tough to put any other promoter above Dana White. 

What sets White apart is his longevity and consistent ability to evolve with the sport. White’s UFC is not only a sports company but a media powerhouse which generates hundreds of millions of views per day. His journey from being a small-time boxing promoter to the president of a multi-billion dollar sports empire is one of the most remarkable stories in sports history, and it's tough to imagine this will ever be matched.

Image Credits: Stephen McCarthy/Sportsfile via Getty Images