Current UFC fighters who are in the good books of Dana White
Making a name for yourself in the UFC is no easy task. A fighter has to go through many challenges before having a chance with the world's leading MMA promotion. Most athletes spend years proving themselves outside the organization. Even after being signed, a fighter needs to perform well. The biggest stage in MMA has no place for the second best.
The competition is fierce. Even the best in the world lose at some point in the UFC. Legendary fighters who built up fearsome reputations elsewhere have stumbled inside the octagon. Mirko Cro Cop comes to mind.
Naturally, fighters look for any and every way to raze their stock. A surefire way to progress through the ranks is to impress president Dana White. But while many seek, not too many succeed at that task. Even those in favor are at risk of falling out if they make an egregious offense.
A beef with the UFC president has impacted the careers of Cris Cyborg, Quinton Jackson, Tito Ortiz and others. So it's best to be on the good side of the boss. Now, let's take a look at five current fighters who Dana White likes.
#5. Israel Adesanya - UFC middleweight champion
Israel Adesanya came into the UFC with a wealth of experience. He was an established kickboxer with a record of 75-5. He even delved into boxing and has a 5-1 record. The Nigerian built an undefeated MMA resume before signing with the promotion.
Adesanya made short work of his first opponent, Rob Wilkinson. It was evident from the first fight that he was special. 'The Last Stylebender' progressed quickly with notable victories over Derek Brunson and Anderson Silva. His quick wit, trash talk and extravagance attracted fans, and impressed Dana White.
At UFC 236, Izzy won the interim middleweight title against Kelvin Gastelum. It was one of the best fights in UFC history and helped propel Adesanya into superstardom. He defeated Robert Whitaker in 2019 to become the undisputed middleweight champion.
Since then, the president has only sung praises for Izzy. Even when he came up short against Jan Blachowicz, White commended him. If he can keep up his dominant performances, Dana White will only be more impressed.