Dana White has never been your typical, run-of-the-mill leader in professional sports. He shows up to work in a t-shirt and jeans, publicly reprimands star athletes and drops F-bombs like he’s Samuel L. Jackson.
There is no sugar coating or beautifying things in the fight business when it comes to White. The UFC lives up to its slogan, “as real as it gets.”
Unfortunately, MMA fans aren’t always happy with White’s antics. Some have even pinned him as unprofessional and detrimental to the growth of the sport. Could you ever imagine NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell engaging in open Twitter wars with fans?
Fighters like Quinton “Rampage” Jackson and Randy Couture have sought opportunities outside the UFC because they simply don’t like the way White conducts business.
Love him or hate him, White is a straight shooter, and we never have to speculate where he stands on an issue. There are no cheesy, rehearsed lines spouted from closed-door meetings. People can at least appreciate the fact that White is an open book, and MMA fans are generally more clued in than any other sports fan.
White’s business manners have become their own vehicle for entertainment. We never know what he’s going to do or say. It’s like watching some crazy reality TV show unfold before your very eyes.
Here are Dana White’s top “Holy S#!T” moments from the first half of 2013.