Is Dana White a billionaire?
UFC president Dana White is clearly wealthy. He is not yet a billionaire, despite what many may assume. The lavish jets and luxury suites will likely come under the UFC as much as they do White's.
But that isn't to say that White is not rich. Quite the opposite, if anything. Multiple sources state that White's net worth in 2021 is estimated to be around $500 million.
Dana White, the mastermind behind the highest-selling MMA PPV ever
White has been involved in match-making in some of the biggest fights in MMA history and has no doubt shared in their profits. Most notable among them is the super fight between Conor McGregor and Khabib Nurmagomedov for the UFC lightweight title.
McGregor was fresh off his record-making boxing match with combat sports superstar Floyd 'Money' Mayweather. His return to MMA came against brand-new 155lb champion Khabib 'The Eagle' Nurmagomedov.
The Dagestani champion had previously defeated Al Iaquinta to claim the belt and was looking to make a statement to the rest of the lightweight division. There was instant animosity between Nurmagomedov and McGregor that at times surged over the unspoken rules of fight promotion.
An altercation between Nurmagomedov and Artem Lobov, McGregor's teammate, led to the infamous dolly incident. Said incident saw McGregor, as well as a hoard of his associates, attempt to attack Nurmagomedov's departing bus. The wild occurrence ended with McGregor launching a heavy loading dolly into the bus window, leaving Michael Chiesa with multiple lacerations.
Whilst White naturally went on to condemn the behavior, the event went on to break all previous MMA pay-per-view records. UFC 229 sold a huge 2.4 million PPV buys, which was higher than all but two of even boxing's PPV records. The fight also served to cement Khabib Nurmagomeodv as a PPV star.
The first sport back
White has also shown a level of determination that is second to none. During the initial outbreak of the covid pandemic, White assured fans that he would spearhead the return of MMA. He stated that the UFC would be both up and running before any other MMA organization and before any major sporting organization.
This was no simple boast. White implemented the now-notorious 'Fight Island' idea, creating a facility on Yas Island in Dhubai. From there, White brought sports fans the entertainment they desired before any other organization did, undoubtedly increasing the UFC's - and his own - net worth for good.
Check out: Video Tour of Dana White's House