There is no doubting the power of guys like Cain Velasquez or Junior Dos Santos. One punch to the chin from either of these heavyweights leaves you wondering if you will ever eat solid food again.
But just because you can spin someone’s head around faster than Brittany Palmer working out at your local gym, it doesn’t mean you are one of the most powerful people in the UFC. People often overlook those in the UFC that really have power over the direction of the organization.
Obviously, the most powerful man in the UFC is its President, Dana White but after him, who is the most powerful person in the UFC?
Several key factors have to be considered when considering who can really move the organization forward or backward. For instance, can the person alter the daily operations of the UFC and MMA in general? Or, could this person alter the growing brand or image of the organization?
When you start putting “powerful” into those terms there are a lot of guys who get eliminated right away. For instance there is no doubting that Jose Aldo is far and away one of the best fighters in the UFC and could dominate his weight division for years to come. But he doesn’t have the type of juice that can change the future of the organization or even damage it.
Guys like him can certainly help strengthen the UFC and continue to build their name, but it’s doubtful they can move millions.
Here are the five most powerful people in the UFC, not named Dana White.