Who is Dana White, the UFC President Mentioned by Donald Trump in His ‘Victory’ Speech?

Washington: Dana White, widely recognized by UFC fans, is not only the face of the popular mixed martial arts brand but also became a key supporter of Donald Trump during his campaign to reclaim the White House and defeat Vice President Kamala Harris in the U.S. presidential race 2024.

On Wednesday, Trump secured the U.S. presidency with 277 electoral votes, defeating Kamala Harris, who received 224, when Associated Press called the race. Trump won four of the seven swing states—Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, and Georgia—and is leading in three others.

Trump is leading in Arizona, Michigan, and Nevada, with his path to victory depending on Harris falling short in the remaining vote counts, according to the news agency.

As votes were counted nationwide, Trump spoke to supporters in Florida, expressing gratitude to his Republican vice-presidential candidate JD Vance and billionaire Elon Musk for their support in his campaign.

Trump gave special recognition to Dana White, CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, who was present on stage with him.

Know who is Dana White

Dana White, 55, started his career in the fighting industry in Boston, working in boxing, training, and fighter management. However, after allegedly being threatened by individuals claiming he owed $2,500, White left the East Coast suddenly and moved to Las Vegas, as per Forbes.

In Las Vegas, White transitioned to training mixed martial arts (MMA) fighters, some of whom later appeared in UFC events, and began attending matches. "I ended up finding that out, that they’re in trouble and they’re probably going to go out of business." he said to Forbes.

In 2002, Dana White acquired a minority stake in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). As president of Zuffa LLC, he became part of a group that purchased UFC when it was on the brink of bankruptcy. White helped relocate operations to Las Vegas and worked to legitimize the sport.

More than two decades later, Forbes valued the UFC at $11.3 billion, making it the highest-valued combat sports promotion in the U.S. It significantly outpaced World Wrestling Entertainment ( WWE ), which was valued at $6.8 billion earlier this year.

Under White's leadership and with support from the Fertitta brothers, UFC underwent a major transformation. A pivotal moment came in 2005 with the launch of the reality TV series *The Ultimate Fighter*, which White co-developed.

The show expanded MMA’s reach to a broader audience and provided a stage for emerging fighters and building a dedicated fan base for the UFC. The finale fight between Stephan Bonnar and Forrest Griffin, credited with “saving the UFC,” achieved record ratings and massive public interest.

Dana White's Strong Support for Trump

Dana White's support for Donald Trump spans more than 25 years. Well before Trump's first presidential run in 2016, he played a key role in helping establish White’s UFC brand.

In the early days of UFC, the sport faced strong criticism for its perceived brutality, with figures like the late Senator John McCain calling for a ban on it, famously describing MMA as "human cockfighting." However, after MMA was legalized in New Jersey, Trump offered crucial support by hosting UFC events at his properties, backing the sport when others distanced themselves.

“Nobody took us serious then, except Donald Trump,” adding, “I would never say anything negative about Donald Trump because he was there when other people weren’t.” Dana said in a interview with The Times.

In 2020, Dana White once again publicly supported Donald Trump, describing his re-election as "critically important," according to the BBC.

Dana White Joins Trump at Victory Speech

“This is karma ladies and gentlemen. Nobody deserves this more than his family does. This is what happens when the machine comes after you. Couldn‘t stop him. He keeps going forward. He‘s the most resilient man I‘ve ever met in my life. This is karma, ladies and gentlemen. He deserves this.” Dana said in a speech at the Palm Beach County Convention Center, Florida.

“Last but not least, the mighty and powerful Joe Rogan. And thank you, America. Thank you.” he added.