UFC president Dana White assured fans he isn’t “going anywhere” amid speculation he may be leaving the company.
“I’m not going anywhere, brother,” White said Monday, per Lance Pugmire of the Los Angeles Times. “Not only am I not going anywhere, I’m actually making moves in the office and doing [stuff] and changing things for the way I really want it.”
“I’m burrowing myself in like a…tick,” he continued.
Pugmire noted the comments came after reports the talent agency WME/IMG raised $1.1 billion to buy out some of its UFC minority partners.
Pugmire detailed a Silver Lake Partners letter to its shareholders saying WME/IMG will use the money to buy out some of the minority partners. WME/IMG—which is headed by Ari Emanuel and Patrick Whitesell—bought UFC for $4 billion in July 2016, and Pugmire noted “White pocketed $400 million” from the deal.
While he could theoretically leave the company for other ventures with the money, White stressed he and Emanuel are partners.
Attention in the sport now turns to the Aug. 26 boxing showdown between UFC fighter Conor McGregor and boxer Floyd Mayweather in Las Vegas. According to Pugmire, with Showtime televising the event, the fight marks the first time UFC has entered into a cross-promotion deal with another company.
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