Men of America, particularly younger males, need better role models, or so we’re told. Perhaps they could look to UFC president Dana White for inspiration?
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Men of America, particularly younger males, need better role models, or so
we’re told.
But, I ask, where should they look for inspiration?
Before answering that question, we must first identify the qualities associated with being a man of genuine quality. They include a sense of independence, bravery, ambition, loyalty, a strong work ethic, the ability to lead, resilience, and the capacity to overcome adversity.
Now that we’ve identified the key ingredients, it’s time to discuss a man who possesses all of the above. That man is Dana White, CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). Worth an estimated
$500 million, Mr. White is very much a self-made man—but his path to fame and fortune has been a perilous one, full of twists, turns, and innumerable obstacles.
Owned by Endeavor Group Holdings, the
most powerful sports company in the world, the UFC’s popularity is simply staggering. But this wasn’t always the case. The Dana White we see today—a successful husband, father, and businessman—is someone who has experienced severe hardships, setbacks, and reportedly
even death threats. But unlike so many others, he actually managed to, figuratively and metaphorically, turn his pain into profit.
His childhood wasn’t easy. In fact, it was rather traumatic. As a result of his father’s alcoholism, Mr. White’s mother had little option but to take on multiple jobs. With her absence from the home coupled with his father’s drunkenness, Mr. White had to learn to take care of himself at a young age. He quickly realized that, in order to survive, he had to become self-sufficient. The young boy quickly became a man.
In 2019, during
a candid interview with Tony Robbins, Mr. White was asked when his path to UFC stardom began. At the age of 19, the Connecticutian was working as a hotel bellboy. One day, as Mr. White told Mr. Robbins, he found himself questioning his existence. Shortly after this internal interrogation, Mr. White decided to quit. On his way out the door, he told the doorman that he was off to pursue a career in the fight business. In response, he told the teenager that it was “the dumbest thing” he had ever heard.
Perhaps it was—but this “dumb” decision is the reason why Mr. White is where he is today.
The rest, as they say, is history—in Mr. White’s case, a deeply dramatic and traumatic history.
Before achieving success in the UFC, Mr. White ran a boxing program in South Boston. At the very same time, Whitey Bulger, the notorious Irish American criminal, was also operating in the very same area. In the mid-1990s, during one of Mr. White’s boxing classes, Kevin Weeks, one of Bulger’s henchmen,
barged in and demanded a payment of $2,500. At the time, as Mr. White has recalled numerous times, he was broke. Fearing for his safety, Mr. White swiftly departed from Boston and made his way to Las Vegas. Reflecting on the rather dramatic incident, Mr. White told
Fox Sports:
“He basically said, ‘You owe us money.’ It was like $2,500, which was like $25,000 to me back then, and said, ‘You owe us money.’ It was actually a guy named Kevin Weeks, who if you saw the trial, he’s Whitey’s right-hand man.
“This went on for a while, and one day I was at my place, and I got a call, and they said, ‘You owe us the money tomorrow by 1 o’clock.' I literally hung up the phone, picked up the phone, and called Delta, and bought a ticket to Vegas.”
Shortly after moving to Las Vegas, Mr. White became involved in the world of UFC, managing the likes of Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell, two bona fide mixed martial arts (MMA) legends. The fierce competition between these two combatants played a significant role in
driving the UFC’s success, even when certain states were pushing to ban the much-maligned sport. Very few believed that the UFC would become a successful business, let alone a multibillion-dollar business. Mr. White, however, had other plans. Fast forward almost a quarter of a century, and his conviction has been rewarded handsomely.
Love and Loyalty
Mr. White has an incredible work ethic, and he expects the same from his employees. In return, he offers undying loyalty. During a recent interview with Theo Von, Mr.
White discussed the draconian COVID-19 lockdowns of 2020. Specifically, he discussed the fact that, unlike so many other companies in the United States, he didn’t lay off a single person during the lockdowns. Why? Because, as he said himself, he loves his staff, and if the ship goes down, everyone goes down together—including the captain.
Moreover, during the lockdowns, when many businesses were closed for extended periods of time, Mr. White decided to look for other solutions. He eventually decided to take some of the fights that were prevented from taking place in the United States to Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As Mr. White told Mr. Von, in 2020, the UAE remained open for business, so he decided to pick up the phone and make the fights happen. The UFC remained profitable, and its staff remained employed.
In an interview
with Piers Morgan, Mr. White was asked why he’s friends with Donald Trump. The former president, he said, has always been supportive. When others questioned the UFC and ridiculed the idea of MMA going mainstream, President Trump was there to offer Mr. White encouragement. This, he told Mr. Morgan, is why President Trump is one of his closest friends. Why would he turn his back on a man who never turned his back on him?
Mr. White’s story is a unique one. His ability to overcome adversity and find solutions to complex problems is truly immense. His loyalty to both friends and staff is commendable. For inspiration, the men of America, especially those who are struggling mentally, financially, or both, would do well to look to Dana White.
Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
