Dana White and the Fertitta brothers took UFC from an outlier to the mainstream. Along with Lorenzo’s brother, Frank, he cashed in on $2 million in 2001, and the rest, as they say, is history. Dana White and UFC have since been a perfect match. He has bolstered the organization to unfathomable levels. While a $2 million effort in 2001 would seem like a ginormous step, other factors were in play.
For example, the company was $40 million in the hole during the early phases! He said as much to host Andrew Schulz of the “FLAGRANT” Podcast. White and the Fertitta brothers’ historic deal to save the UFC is widely famous. Further, many have credited them for turning UFC into a lucrative, premier combat sports promotion. However, White provides another angle to the story.
So probably by 2004, we were upside down 40 million dollars…and we were only doing five events a year…So, we are losing money on the shows. We are losing money on the overhead…and every fu*king way you can lose money in the business [laughs]…
Dana White via Andrew Schulz’s FLAGRANT Podcast (@OfficialFlagrant)
Back then, UFC did not find itself under the deal of the ESPN platform; only a few events came out per year. The Ultimate Fighter saved the company as they finally had a TV deal with Spike TV. Soon, the mainstream interest grew along with the rise of superstars like George St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, and Brock Lesnar in the late 2000s.
In the 2010s, new stars like Jon Jones, Ronda Rousey, and Conor McGregor took the sport to a new level. It was a period of prosperity for the UFC. Soon, Talent agency WME-IMG partnered with its owner, Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts/MSD Capital, to take over UFC. Selling to Endeavor in 2016 for $4 billion did not stop UFC’s momentum, which still has a lot left to give the combat sports fans.
Dana White confirms mammoth new deal with major sports league
Many wondered if the UFC would fail when the Fertitta brothers cashed in on UFC. Now, under the guidance of the CEO, it is a living, breathing organism. Even when the global pandemic hit the world, UFC stayed afloat and grew in its digital streaming fanbase.
A collaboration with NASCAR could be WME-IMG and Dana White’s new fascination (Source: Instagram/news.sky.com)Case in point, White and Zuffa LLC picked up on major assets of Explosion Entertainment LLC, buying rival Strikeforce MMA for US$40 million. Alongside, he has also picked up variable interests in Nitrocross, Premier bullfighting, and Premier slap fighting.
Power Slap, the premier combat striking organization, is a Nevada State Athletic Commission sanction and a brainchild of White. Now, enabled by the already profitable venture, White is trying his hand elsewhere. Check out what he has to say about it:
Interesting comments from Dana White on the Flagrant podcast:
“I’m flying to NASCAR and we’re doing a deal with NASCAR. We’re going to be the electric series for NASCAR. Yeah, we’re working on that deal right now.” pic.twitter.com/2TyEUGEykO
— Bozi Tatarevic (@BoziTatarevic) June 5, 2024
White and the Fertittas have had a burgeoning relationship with NASCAR. The premier racing company has had celebrity drivers and owners, including Michael Jordan. Endeavor never ventured into motorsports before, but that might change soon. The octagon mat might just read NASCAR next year.
NASCAR is becoming the next-to-last destination for many enthusiasts; one day, that might include UFC fighters as well. It will be interesting to see a partnership between the world’s largest combat sports and racing companies.
