Dana White, the trailblazing CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), has been catapulted from the fringes of combat sports to the rarefied world of Washington politics. His name is now on everyone's lips in the US capital, where he's rubbing shoulders with the likes of Donald Trump and even scoring a spot on the Meta board – the stuff of dream ticket items for any self-made entrepreneur!
But it wasn't always this way. In fact, White's journey to becoming a cultural power broker was as unpredictable as one of his fighter's signature moves. Remember those heady days when 'human cockfighting' was all the rage – and by that we mean Senator John McCain's rather colourless description of the UFC in 1996? Today, that label would be met with a mixture of bafflement and derision from fans who know just how much skill, strength, and strategy goes into this 'barbaric' sport. Fast forward to 2023, and you've got the spectacle of a White House event staged for Donald Trump's 80th birthday – an octagon cage on the South Lawn, temporary grandstands, and commemorative coins featuring the President's likeness.
The UFC, under White's fearless leadership, has grown into a $12 billion behemoth. This remarkable turnaround story is no less than a fairy tale for those who have been following it from the early days – when much of the sporting establishment shunned mixed martial arts and 36 states banned the sport. One pivotal moment came in Atlantic City, where Trump's Taj Mahal casino rolled out the welcome mat for three consecutive UFC events between 2000 and 2001.
Fast forward to 2016, when White became a visible ally of Donald Trump's presidential campaign. That's when their shared mythology began – one that would propel the UFC into the very heart of Washington politics. Today, Dana White is the ultimate player in this high-stakes game – an enigmatic figure whose public profile has seen a staggering surge across major US media outlets.