Dana White explains how the UFC has evolved over the years - "We were like a small family business"
Dana White's UFC has managed to consolidate its position as the premier MMA promotion in the world. White recently offered fans some insight into the company's humble beginnings and its road to global success.
While in conversation with Ronda Rousey on the latest edition of Rowdy's Places, the UFC supremo opened up about the circumstances surrounding its acquisition.
White talked about how he struck a partnership with Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta to acquire the UFC when the promotion was in great financial trouble.
According to White:
"Lorenzo Fertitta and I had always said that we were going to do something together. And we thought it was going to be in boxing. But I called the brothers and said, 'I think these guys are in trouble. I think they're going under.' And I'd say a month, month and a half later we ended up buying the UFC for $2 million. When we bought the company, we bought the three letters of UFC, we owned their old wood octagon and like 15 contracts. That was it. We were like a small family business."
Check out Dana White's interaction with Ronda Rousey right here:
ES.PN/RowdysPlacesEp6Realizing the UFC needed to shed the stigma of its early days, @danawhite explained to @RondaRousey how he helped bring respect to the sport 💯
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White revealed that the biggest mistake that the previous owners made was marketing the UFC and MMA as one of, if not the most, brutal and violent sports on earth.
The 52-year-old admitted that although it served them well in the beginning, their focus on the brutality of the sport marked its downfall. White also admitted that once he and the brothers took over, they worked to solve the UFC's image problem by seeking regulation from state athletic commissions.
Dana White clarifies his post-fight absence at UFC 270
Much has been said about Dana White's absence during Francis Ngannou's triumph over Ciryl Gane at UFC 270 and the post-fight press conference. However, in a recent interaction with Laura Sanko, White revealed that he was forced to deal with a situation backstage.
Although he did not offer any details regarding the situation, White declared that his absence was not prompted by malice for Ngannou or his contract conundrum.
"For anybody that thinks I was showing any kind of disrespect towards Francis -- I saw Francis all week, you idiots. I shook his hand, I said hi to him. I was out there for the stare-downs, the whole thing," said White.
Dana White on why he wasn't out there for the main event and didn't put the belt on Francis Ngannou.
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Francis Ngannou and the UFC have been at odds regarding the Cameroonian's contract for quite some time now. Had Ngannou lost his UFC 270 clash against Gane, he could have entered free agency.
However, his victory at UFC 270 triggered the champion's clause in his contract, prolonging his stay in the promotion for the span of one year or three fights.