Biography - Dana White

Who is Dana White?

Dana White is an American businessman and the current President of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Dana White – Age, Parents, Siblings

Dana White was born Dana Frederick White Jr. in Manchester, Connecticut, U.S.A. His birthday falls on July 28, 1969, and his parents are June White and Dana Frederick White Sr. He has a sibling too- a sister named Kelly White.

Education, Ethnicity

White was raised along with his sister by his mother and maternal family, spending the majority of his childhood in Ware, Massachusetts. As per his educational background, Dana White attended Hermon High School, located in Maine. He graduated from the same in 1987.

His ethnicity is Irish.

Dana White – Girlfriend, Wife, Children, Divorce

Dana White married his girlfriend turned fiancée Anna White on 8 November 1996. 

The couple has welcomed three children together. Their eldest son is Dana Jr. (born June 2001) followed by son Aidan White (born July 2002). The couple also is blessed with a daughter, Savannah White, the youngest of the three.

Currently, the couple is living a blissful marriage without rumors of divorce or extra-marital affairs.

Also read: Chris Eubank Jr. - Boxer 

Dana White – Career

Early Days

Dana White began boxing while in his teens- he was only 17 years old at that time. He entered professional boxing to help promote Floyd Mayweather Jr. vs. Conor McGregor mega-fight.

As time went on, White became the manager for Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell. Around the same time, he met Bob Meyerwitz. Meyerwitz was the owner of Semaphore Entertainment Group, a parent company of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) was looking to sell the UFC.

White saw this as an opportunity for higher ground. He then contacted Lorenzo Fertitta, a childhood friend of his and now an executive at Station Casinos. He asked Fertitta if he is interested in buying the company. 

Also read: Terence Crawford - Boxer  

With UFC

Fertitta and his older brother Frank Fertitta III bought UFC in January 2001 and Dana White was made the president of the company. UFC became a subordinate of Zuffa, LLC.  In 2012, Ronda Rousey became the first woman to attain a Zuffa contract to compete in the UFC.

In July 2016, Zuffa, LLC was sold to investors for USD $4.025 billion. Dana White owned 9% of the company while on the sale. He maintained his role as a president as well. The majority of UFC was then owned by William Morris Endeavor-International Management Group (WME-IMG) while the Fertitta brothers became minor shareholders.

In May 2017, it was announced that White would host Dana White's Tuesday Night Contender Series. He also has portrayed roles in series such as The League (2013) and It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia (2017).

Also read: Ryan Hall aka The Grappler - Mixed martial artist, Wrestler 

Dana White – Controversy, Rumors

White has been subject to a number of controversies mostly due to his harsh comments and outspoken behavior. After journalists Loretta Hunt and Josh Gross wrote stories disliked by White, they were prevented from getting UFC press credentials.

A similar event occurred with Journalist Ariel Helwani as well. Helwani had reported that Brock Lesnar would be returning to UFC, despite White’s and the company’s request not to do so. Helwani was escorted out from the stadium during UFC 199 and also prohibited from receiving future UFC press credentials. After heavy criticism, the ban was lifted after a few days.

In 2011, White’s mother published a book titled Dana White, King of MMA: Dana White an Unauthorized Biography. While on an interview to promote her book, she called her son "egotistical, self-centered, arrogant, and cruel".

Also read: Darren Elkins - Mixed martial artist, Wrestler 

Dana White – Net Worth, Salary

The net worth and annual salary of White are estimated at $500 million and $20 million respectively.

Dana White – Instagram, Twitter, Facebook

On Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook, Dana White is followed by millions of followers and counting.

Also read: Donald Cerrone - Boxer