Whether you believe he’s the scourge of humanity, the savior of MMA or somewhere in the yawning middle, UFC President Dana White has carved his likeness into the face of MMA like he was Teddy Roosevelt in the South Dakota granite.
Here are the most seminal moments in White’s long-and-winding road to the throne of the UFC and the world of mixed martial arts. I’m not saying they were good. I’m not saying they were bad. I’m just saying they were influential.
Ranking someone’s most seminal decisions and achievements is a little like nailing pudding to a wall. To try and narrow it down a bit, I stayed away from individual fighter signings, instead homing in on White’s personal and business arcs.
How did he get where he is today? What are some of the specific actions, both deliberate and fortuitous, that shaped his career? How has White helped MMA explode in popularity, with the promotion he runs at the crest of the wave?
Now, White is far from flawless, and I don’t want to sweep his warts under the rug or imply he can do no wrong. At the same time, though, history shows that, a lot of the time, he does get it right.
I can’t imagine a slideshow of this nature drawing any controversy, but given the highly subjective nature of this and the fact that there are probably more than 15 seminal moments, please add your voice in the comments if you care to do so.
Thanks for reading.