Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO Dana White has been praised as “one of the best business guys” and “one of the smartest guys ever” in the realm of combat sports by Turki Alashikh, a prominent figure in Saudi Arabia’s entertainment sector.
The Sports Business Journal concurs with this sentiment, highlighting the impact of White and his peers in the sports industry.
Alongside notable figures such as Ari Emanuel from Endeavor, Mark Shapiro of TKO Group, and WWE’s Nick Khan, White has been recognized as one of the “Most Influential People In Sports Business 2024.” This annual list honors those who significantly contribute to institutional investments in sports.
These four influential leaders came together following a major merger earlier in 2023, further solidifying their presence in the industry.
White has been instrumental in driving UFC revenues to new heights, achieving another record-setting year filled with extraordinary pay-per-view (PPV) events and emerging stars like reigning light heavyweight champion Alex Pereira and current featherweight titleholder Ilia Topuria.
The trend of growth is expected to continue into 2025, with exciting developments on the horizon.
Reflecting on past successes, White remarked, “Every year over the last 17 years, I’ve said, ‘How is next year gonna be bigger than this year?’” He elaborated post-UFC Tampa, revealing that various projects were in the works. “We got Power Slap meetings going on down there. SLS [Skate League], which I own a piece of, did an event down there today, and UFC stuff is being worked on right now in Brazil.”
White expressed his enthusiasm for expanding UFC’s footprint, stating, “We’re talking about Spain and all these other places, not to mention Seattle and Chicago and these other places that we haven’t been in a long time. I anticipate a lot of big fights. I’ve got something in the works right now, it’ll drive you f—ers crazy. All you guys will be running around. I got something in the works that you will never f—ing see coming for 2025 that literally started to come together last night.”
As for the future of these plans, only time will tell if they materialize as intended.
Source link
