Wednesday, 04 December 2024

    Dana White

    • Contest: The US Athletic Hall of Fame - Contributors 2024
    • Embed from Getty Images
    • Sport(s): UFC President
    • Dana White, who was the manager for Tito Ortiz and Chuck Lidell, learned that the Semaphore Entertainment Group, which owned the Ultimate Fighting Championship, was looking to sell. Mixed Martial Arts had drawn some good numbers on pay per view, but it struggled overall with negative perception and was hemorrhaging money. White convinced his friend, Lorenzo Fertitta, to bankroll buying the company, which they did with White as its president.

      White wanted the name UFC, as it was the best-known entity of what was then a fringe sport. White transformed and standardized the UFC, developing stars and taking the outlaw nature of it away. White brought UFC to the mainstream and was also a pioneer in streaming.

      Still, the president of UFC and a minority owner, White, might be one of the most successful leaders in all of sports.

      We are proud to nominate Dana White for the United States Athletic Hall of Fame.
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