Dana White's Net Worth (Updated September 2022) | Wealthy Gorilla

Net Worth:	$500 Million
Age:	54
Born:	July 28, 1969
Gender:	Male
Height:	1.80 m (5 ft 11 in)
Country of Origin:	United States of America
Source of Wealth:	Entrepreneur
Last Updated:	February 9, 2024

Table of Contents

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• Introduction
• Ultimate Fighting Championship
• UFC Buyout Earnings
• Highlights
• Summary

Introduction

Dana White is an American executive and president of the UFC with an estimated net worth of $500 Million.

He quickly grew the company from a small enterprise to a multibillion-dollar enterprise. Under his presidency, the UFC has grown and dominated the MMA world.

Ultimate Fighting Championship

While working as a manager for Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, Dana White met Semaphore Entertainment Group’s owner, UFC’s parent company. The owner, Bob Meyrowitz, was looking to sell, so White asked his childhood friend Lorenzo Fertitta, the co-founder of Station Casinos, if he wanted to buy.

In January 2001, Fertitta and his older brother acquired the UFC for $2 million, and Dana White was made the company’s president. After White and the Fertitta brothers acquired the UFC, White stated that the previous owners had stripped everything in a bid to escape bankruptcy. Even the UFC website at the time had been sold to a company called “User-Friendly Computers.” All they had was the name and an octagon.

However, with White at the helm, the company was gradually rebuilt from the ground up, and by 2015, it was earning a gross revenue of $600 million. White was interviewed by TMZ Sports in 2011, and when asked, “When will we see women in the UFC?” he responded with, “Never ever.”

Ultimately, White took back this statement when Ronda Rousey faced Liz Carmouche in 2013 during the UFC’s first women’s match.

In 2015, White spoke at the Republican National Convention and endorsed Donald Trump as the Republican nominee.

White stated that Trump had done a lot to help the UFC in its beginnings, allowing them to host their first event at the Trump Taj Mahal. During this time, White was also undergoing Orthokine treatment for Ménière’s disease, which reduced his vertigo-like symptoms.

Building A Better Business

In July 2016, Zuffa, which the UFC is a subsidiary of, was sold to investors for $4 billion, with White owning 9% at the time of sale. Following the transition, Dana White was given a new stake in the company and was allowed to retain his position as president.

The UFC announced Dana White’s Contender Series in 2017, where White would hold competitions weekly on UFC Fight Pass. This show gave fighters a chance to show off their talents, with the hope that they might one day make it into the UFC. With its seventh season wrapped up in October 2023, the Contender Series continues to go strong as one of the UFC’s biggest shows.

At the same time, White entered the boxing world, co-promoting the Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor fight. While he stated he wanted to incorporate boxing into the UFC, he has since backtracked, calling it a “broken business.”

In 2019, he signed a seven-year contract to remain the president of the UFC, and the UFC signed their deal with ESPN.

Success And Road Bumps

Dana White returned to the political arena in 2020, speaking at a Trump reelection rally in Colorado and donating $1 million to America First Action.

In April of that year, White was entangled in a sex tape scandal when an exotic dancer allegedly recorded their time together during a tryst in 2014. After the hype around the scandal died down, White worked on a deal with Rob Gronkowski to try and bring quarterback Tom Brady to the Raiders.

The same year, he was diagnosed with high triglyceride levels and given ten years to live, which prompted him to improve his lifestyle. Fortunately, things improved in 2023, when a deal with Endeavor Group merged the WWE and UFC, making White the UFC’s Chief Executive Officer.

At the same time, White launched Power Slap, a slap-fighting competition that debuted in January 2023, with a second season airing in November.

UFC Buyout Earnings

In 2016, the Fertitta brothers sought to sell the organization, but no one was interested in acquiring the UFC unless Dana White remained the brand’s face. The situation reportedly left White rather distraught, but after taking some time to process, he agreed.

The UFC was sold to WME-IMG, the company that owns the WWE, for an estimated $4 billion. The organization has since rebranded to Endeavor Group Holdings.

At the time of the sale, it was reported that White still owned 9% of the company. Most reports suggest that his stake was also a part of the sale, netting him roughly $360 million. The agreement also stated that Dana would be paid 9% of annual profits for five years. This could be worth up to $30 million per year.

Highlights

Here are some of the best highlights of Dana White’s career:

• Dana bought the UFC (1987)
• First UFC Live fight on TV (1997)
• Becomes UFC President (2001)
• UFC broke the pay-per-view industry’s all-time record for earning over $222,766,000 in revenue (2010)

Summary

Dana White’s shrewd business skills and passion for mixed martial arts have led him to grow the UFC from near-bankruptcy to a multi-billion-dollar industry. The UFC has become a household name, reaching billions of people worldwide. Dana White’s net worth reflects his work and dedication to his company.