White (r) believes happenings like the events at UFC 229 help the promotion continue to attract fansROXXE IRELAND
UFC suffered a low moment earlier this month with the melee following the Oct. 6 Khabib Nurmagomedov-Conor McGregor fight in Las Vegas. However, UFC President Dana White, speaking yesterday in a featured interview at the ’18 NeuLion Sports Media & Technology conference, acknowledged the incident still represented good business for the MMA property. “It’s all bad. It’s a crazy business because at the end of the day, it’s the fight business ... and we now have to go face the Nevada Athletic Commission,” White said. “But as far as my business goes, it was incredible. This thing was on ‘Good Morning America’ and every other news outlet on the planet.” White said such an incident was emblematic of the UFC’s reason for being and why it continues to attract fans. “We are in the ‘Holy Shit’ business,” said White, who was interviewed by CBS Sports Radio's Jim Rome. “That’s the business I’m in.” White added that his property appeals to fans on a primal level. “Fighting works everywhere ... and we are fascinated by who the toughest people in the world are,” he said. Rome added, “So getting punched in the face is the universal language.”
WORTHY ENDEAVOR: White remained with UFC following the property’s ’16 sale to WME-IMG, now known as Endeavor, for $4B, with his retention a condition of sale. He did acknowledge a brief bout of depression following the sale, but he said he and the Fertitta brothers turned down another offer worth more than $5B in order to have the chance to work with CEO Ari Emanuel, a longtime friend and business colleague. “I told the brothers that if we’re going to sell this, I want to be with Ari,” White said. “And we actually took a billion dollars less (than we could have). ... What I love about Ari is that he’s an animal, just like me. He wants to take over the world like I do.”
HITTING THE GYM: Looking forward, White said he is enthused about UFC’s developing line of branded gym franchises. “We have another part of this business. ... This is the new martial art that men, women and children are taking all over the world,” White said. “These are facilities where you can go work out, however you want to work out, and your kids can take jujitsu classes or karate classes or muay thai. And they’re killing it, and that’s another billion and half dollar business on its own, the gym business.”
Quick Hits:
* On legendary boxing promoter and longtime adversary Bob Arum: “He did his thing, and his time is up.”
* On the power of former UFC star Ronda Rousey: “When Ronda Rousey was fighting, our female audience numbers went through the roof.”
* On why Conor McGregor continues to be a massive star, even after losing matches: “He’ll fight anybody, anywhere, anytime, and people respect that.”
* On his personal financial motivations. “I don’t know about greed. It’s about kicking ass. There is a difference.”
