Dana White details big plans for how the UFC will become 'biggest sport in the world' as he plots further growth
01/09/2024 16:38
UFC boss Dana White believes that MMA is set to overtake all others and become the biggest sport in the world.
The company CEO has been with the promotion since 2001, and has seen it come from being worth just $2million to being sold for $4billion. A recent merger with WWE saw the pair come under the TKO umbrella, with a 2023 evaluation placed at just over $12million.
And he now believes that MMA, with UFC as a clear industry leader, can become bigger than the likes of soccer and basketball to become the most popular sport on the planet.
- Who is Dana White? All you need to know about the CEO and President of the UFC
Dana White reveals why UFC can become world’s biggest sport
In the past decade, MMA has grown rapidly with the advent of a number of key fighters who have helped to expand their global brand. The likes of Conor McGregor, Jon Jones, Israel Adesanya and Weili Zhang have become worldwide stars in all territories around the globe.
And Dana White reckons that combat sport has the highest potential room for growth in world sport, telling FOX News Channel's One Nation with Brian Kilmeade: “When you think about the UFC, you know, back in the day… people would laugh if you thought that this would overtake boxing.
“The beautiful thing that I’ve always said since day one, I said this will eventually be the biggest sport in the world.
“Because no matter what color you are, what country you come from, what language you speak, we’re all humans and fighting is in our DNA. We get it. We like it. It makes sense. Everybody understands it.
“And when you find a guy who is the baddest dude or woman in the world and they come from where you come from and they speak like you speak and they look like you, everybody rallies around them. So, you know, there isn’t a fighter in the world, a country in the world that we can’t find a fighter from.”
Dana White details meeting with Joe Rogan
One player who has been with the UFC for years is long-time commentator Joe Rogan. Starting out as a side job during his time as an actor and comedian, the promotion has grown with him as he became one of the world’s leading voices in media.
Rogan’s podcast is now far and away the most listened on the planet, and he commentates on all American-based pay-per-view events for the UFC. “So I ended up reaching out to Rogan and, you know, we hit it off and that’s it,” White explained during the same Fox News appearance.
“He said, ‘wait a minute. So you’re telling me I can come to the sport that I love the most in the world, have the best seat in the house and talk about it on TV? I’m in’.”
White also noted that the comedian was willing to work for no money in the early days as the sport developed. “He did the first 13 for free and the rest is history,” he continued. “He’s now the biggest podcaster in the world and he’s the greatest combat sports commentator of all time.
- Who is Joe Rogan?Get to know the UFC mainstay and podcast sensation
