UFC CEO Dana White says he’s not worried about politics driving fans away: “We can all still just get along”
CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship Dana Whitelongtime friend and supporter of President Trump, says it’s important to “be authentic and just be yourself,” arguing that political views should not be a reason for fans to abandon a sport.
“Just be authentic,” he reiterated during an interview with “CBS Sunday Morning” that aired this weekend. “You don’t have to agree with me, and you don’t have to like it, and I don’t have to agree with you, but we can still get along. That’s how it’s supposed to work.”
While the whites took the scene at the Republican National Conventions and occupied an important seat at Mr. Trump’s second inaugurationhe said he respected whoever holds the highest office in the land.
His decades-long friendship with Mr. Trump, however, helped pave the way for a historic UFC fight card on the South Lawn from the White House on June 14, as part of preparations for the celebration of America’s 250th birthday. White confirmed that he discussed the event with the president and worked with Ivanka Trump on the details.
“So fighters will leave the Oval Office and come to the Octagon,” White said. said “60 minutes” in September. Mr. Trump’s ties to the UFC date back to 2001, when the Trump Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City hosted the mixed martial arts promotion.
In August, TKO Group announced that beginning in 2026, Paramount would become the exclusive U.S. broadcaster of all UFC events under a contract $7.7 billion deal over 7 years. Paramount, a Skydance company, is also the parent company of CBS News.
But White says the UFC hasn’t always been a success.
In 2001, White and his two close friends – brothers Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, Las Vegas casino heirs – acquired the UFC for $2 million.
“I said, ‘Hey, I think the UFC is going bankrupt. I think they’re in trouble. I think we should buy it,'” he recalled.
At the time, the situation was so dire for the UFC that it didn’t even own the domain for its website, UFC.com. White joked that he spent months negotiating with the owner, “a friendly computer,” to take control.
“Not only do we not own UFC.com, but we also don’t own the rights to the merchandise, the video games or the library. So we had to negotiate a deal. And they probably laughed at us when we left,” he added.
Watch more of Luke Burbank’s interview with UFC CEO Dana White on “CBS Sunday Morning” this weekend.
