The Takedown | UFC’s Dana White took MMA to new level during the coronavirus pandemic and is 2020’s sportsperson of the year
- Anyone who doubted the UFC boss earlier in the year should be helping themselves a healthy serving of humble pie
- White, despite his detractors and reported reckless behaviour, kept the UFC rolling amid an unprecedented time
He is the man many love to hate, but you have to admire the guy. He is the most unabashed sports figure, regularly lacing his press conferences and media interviews with swear words, call-outs and no BS responses.
This year the media had more than ample ammunition to throw at UFC president Dana White and mixed martial arts – a sport that remains just outside the massive, mainstream markets of more established pastimes such as American football, basketball and baseball.
But part of the allure of the UFC is just that: it operates outside the confines of tradition, and White operates nothing like a traditional commissioner.
No matter how you slice it, or try to slag White for being reckless, there is no way around it – White and the UFC had a banner year when most sporting leagues struggled to get back on their feet and recapture their audiences.
According to UFC figures, they broke almost every record in terms of revenue and pay-per-view buys, and the company estimates they made around US$900 million in revenue. While White likes to rail off on many subjects, when it comes to money, he has a solid reputation as being strait-laced and up front.