How did Dana White get involved?

Dana White became involved with the UFC in a pivotal and transformative manner. His initial involvement stemmed from his previous experiences and connections. Originally from Boston, Dana White was a boxing instructor involved in jazzer size classes when he encountered legal and financial threats from notorious local figures such as Whitey Bulger. This pressure forced him to relocate to Las Vegas, where he connected with his high school acquaintances, the Fertitta brothers. The Fertittas, who were from a wealthy background owning casinos, saw potential in Dana and the evolving sport of mixed martial arts (MMA).

When the UFC was struggling and just about bankrupt, Dana, together with the Fertitta brothers, decided to purchase it for $2 million. They invested significantly, both financially and creatively, injecting over $40 million while also pushing for state-wide sports licensing, promoting events, and crafting fighter-focused storylines. Dana White was instrumental in promoting the sport through innovative methods like providing fighters with early version video cameras to record and post online, boosting visibility and engagement in a time when mainstream media was not as accessible or willing to broadcast MMA events.

His efforts not only helped rescue the UFC from the brink of failure but eventually propelled it onto mainstream platforms such as ESPN, marking a major turnaround in its fortunes and establishing Dana White as a central, sometimes controversial, figure in the sport 1 2.