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What Is UFC and Who Is Dana White? All You Need to Know
Learn about the rise of the UFC, from its inception in 1993 to its global expansion under Dana White's leadership, transforming it into a top MMA organization.
The UFC has been one of the biggest names in the history of sports at the moment. Garnering impeccable fan intrigue, the UFC, along with Dana White, is looking to expand its wings outside the United States. However, there still might be some confusion regarding what the UFC is. Well, to know that in detail, we need to take a trip back in time, all the way to 1993.
American businessman Art Davie envisioned a fight league that would feature fighters from every discipline. It included wrestling, karate, taekwondo, jiu-jitsu, kickboxing, and more. On the auspicious occasion of November 12, 1993, UFC started its journey with the first-ever UFC 1 event. But unlike today, back in the day, things were not organized.
Art Davie mentioned that the fighters were not tested for Performance Enhancing Drugs. In the initial years, the UFC also did not have weight classes or rounds. This meant that a fight could only come to an end if a fighter was knocked out. Soon, such outrageous rules became a problem and legal challenges began to follow. Unable to keep up with the growing complications, Art Davie sold the UFC in 2001. And this is where Dana White stepped in.
Who is Dana White and how did he transform the UFC?
Dana White was not born rich. After dropping out of the University, White did a number of jobs including that of a bellhop at the Boston Harbour Hotel. However, having an ardent inclination towards fighting, Dana White heard rumors about Art Davie selling the UFC. He wasted no time and immediately rang up his friends, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta.
White convinced them to buy the promotion and in 2001, the UFC was sold for $2 million. Following the successful acquisition, Dana White was appointed as the President and the UFC soon began to grow rapidly.
Dana White introduced the concept of weight classes and also brought the promotion under the guidelines of the Unified Rules of Mixed Martial Arts. White worked tirelessly to gain the trust of the authorities and sanction the promotion from the athletic commission. Well, White’s hard work paid off and the UFC soon became recognized as a legitimate sport.
The UFC head honcho soon brought in talents like Tito Ortiz, Chuck Lidell, and Randy Couture who further helped to grab the fans’ attention. Cut to 2024, Dana White has established himself as the biggest MMA promoter of all time. His current net worth stands at a whopping $500 million. However, it is not Dana White’s net worth that has soared. The UFC too, has now become a giant.
The Ultimate Fighting Championship is now a spectacle
Dana White introduced the concept of UFC Fight Pass, UFC Gyms, and UFC Performance Centers. He also introduced The Ultimate Fighter reality show to help young talents fast-track their progress into the UFC. The UFC would once again change ownership when in 2016, the Zuffa LLC sold the promotion to WME-IMG(later rebranded as Endeavour) for a whopping $4 billion.
Dana White and the UFC together recently completed 30 years of the promotion in April 2024. White has already organized UFC events in the UK and Abu Dhabi. The UFC head honcho now has plans to further spread wings in more foreign soils. What once faced the threat of being shut down, now boasts of a $12 billion net worth in 2023. Thus, with eyes set high, Dana White and the UFC will look to soar further in the sky of greatness.
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