MMA News: Dana White is a name synonymous with the UFC. The 53-year-old is the current president of the UFC and, in all honestly, the face of the UFC. And White has pushed the UFC to great heights and made it the biggest MMA promotion in the world. But who owned the UFC before the Dana White era? Here’s what we know. For more combat sports news, follow Insidesport.IN.
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White was initially the manager of former UFC fighters Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell. And the two were competing in the promotion. Back then, The Semaphore Entertainment, headed by Bob Meyrowitz, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu grandmaster Rorion Gracie, entrepreneurs Art Davies, John Milius, and David Isaacs owned the UFC.
Due to White’s close association with the promotion, In 2001, White found out that Meyrowitz and the owners were looking to sell the UFC for a cut-price of $2 million. At the time, White did not have the money to buy the UFC himself. So he approached his childhood friend Lorenzo Fertitta and his brother Frank. The Fertitta brothers obliged, bought the UFC for $2 million, and installed Dana White as the president.
Does Dana White own the UFC now?
So these facts show that Dana White did not buy the UFC back in 2001. The Fertitta brothers bought the UFC under Zuffa LLC. So that begs the question of does Dana White actually own the UFC?
Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta gave Dana White an undisclosed share in the UFC. Therefore, technically Dana White is a part owner of the UFC. Moreover, in 2021, the Endeavor Group acquired the Zuffa LLC group for upwards of $4 billion. Thus making Endeavor Group the majority owner of the UFC via Zuffa LLC with a 50.1% stake.
As for White, in 2019, he signed a contract to remain president of the UFC until 2026. Therefore, while he may not be the outright owner of the UFC, he will definitely be a part of the UFC for years to come.
Do you think Dana White will leave the UFC one day?
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