Dana White rejects idea he’s checked out: ‘I care very much about the UFC’

Dana White has one message for his critics: Watch what I do next.

Dana White is arguably the most important person in MMA history. The UFC CEO was one of the key figures in transforming a small, niche sport into a multibillion-dollar industry. During his time at the helm of the UFC, the promotion has grown from a small company on the verge of bankruptcy to an industry leader and sports brand that just last year signed a $7.7 billion TV rights deal with Paramount. But despite the company’s massive financial success over the last few years, it wasn’t perfect.

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In recent years, White has added numerous other sports entities to his promotional portfolio, including UFC BJJ, Power Slap and soon Zuffa Boxing. As White’s attention has been pulled in many directions, some critics have claimed that the UFC CEO is no longer focused on his flagship venture. But White says that’s ridiculous.

“So I did an interview with CBS and I didn’t answer the question the way they thought I should answer it, so I don’t care about the UFC anymore?” white said Journal of Sports Management in response to claims that his interest has waned. “Well, I tell you what, here’s my answer: Come look at what we’re doing in 2026 as we head into 2027 and you’ll see that I care a lot about the UFC, Zuffa Boxing, Power Slap, Thrill One, and Dodge/.[Ram] Show me that I’m just getting started.

“To be honest, my job description changed a little bit when I became CEO of the company. I take on more and I don’t know what they saw in the CBS interview – I don’t even know how to answer that question. It’s weird – an interview, a question in an interview, thinking [from this that] I don’t care about the UFC anymore. “This is a bit strange.”