UFC boss Dana White's excitement peaks as Tom Brady's Raiders ownership brings them close
Dana White is excited about the future of the Las Vegas Raiders after news broke that Tom Brady is set to become a part owner of the NFL team.
The seven-time Super Bowl winner called time on his playing career this off-season after a stunning 23 seasons in the NFL, which has seen him break almost all of the passing records in the sport.
Tom Brady is also considered perhaps the biggest star in NFL history and it's hoped that his status will help elevate the Raiders to new heights both on and off the field.
𝗕𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗸𝗶𝗻𝗴: Legendry QB Tom Brady has officially agreed to buy a minority share of the Raiders.
His agreement has been submitted to the league and will now need to be approved by the NFL.
(via @AlbertBreer) https://t.co/m9GQ6YUjfd
Weighing in on the stunning news was UFC president Dana White. The 53-year-old is a close friend of Brady and stated that he's excited to have the opportunity to "hang out" more with the former quarterback now that he'll be working in Las Vegas. White told TMZ Sports:
"Obviously I'm pumped about the news... Brady is a winner man, the guy is a winner and winning is what he does. Having that kind of attitude and drive, everything else that he can bring to the Raiders and this city, I couldn't be happier about it."
He added:
"I think there's gonna be more opportunity for us [himself and Brady] to hang out now... Now that he's retired and a partner in the Raiders... He's gonna be on the Fox broadcast now too. He's transitioned into retirement not too well because he's actually going to be busier now."
Catch Dana White discussing the Tom Brady news here (0:30):
Dana White discusses contract negotiations with Paulo Costa
Dana White has given fans some insight into the discussions surrounding Paulo Costa's new contract.
Costa has quickly risen to become one of the most popular fighters on the roster, thanks in part to his antics on social media and outside the octagon. His rise in popularity had come whilst he approached the end of his previous contract, and the UFC were determined not to let the middleweight contender go.
Speaking about Costa and his new contract, Dana White stated that every fighter is different and difficult negotiations are part of his job:
"I think that every fighter we deal with is different in certain ways. You know, some are easy, some are tougher, but that's our job, that's what we do. Our job is to get deals done, and we finally got him dialed in, and it will be fun to see him fight in Utah." [0:17 - 0:34]
In regards to Paulo Costa facing the unranked Ikram Aliskerov at UFC 291, White added:
"I guarantee you this, he's fighting a tough guy, and it'll be a damn good fight. And like I said before, when you're negotiating and doing deals with fights, you know, they're not as easy behind-the-scenes as they seem on the surface." [1:06 - 1:22]
Catch White's comments here: