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Dana White’s Net Worth is $500 Million, How is That?

Have you ever wondered how much money Dana White makes? White is a well-known successful executive, but you might be surprised by his wealth. Dana White has led the UFC to become a multibillion-dollar corporation while serving as its president and a minority shareholder.

Dana White’s net worth has increased dramatically because to his yearly pay and ownership stake in the UFC. This article will describe White’s wealth accumulation process.

Fighter Management

White managed Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz while they were performing in Las Vegas in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

White’s influence in the industry started to increase as he served as the manager for two well-known fighters. His position also gave him the chance to develop connections with the UFC’s corporate management.

He would learn about the chance of a lifetime thanks to these relationships.

Company Acquisition

White started to hear whispers that the parent company of the UFC, Semaphore Entertainment, wanted to sell the business.

In response, White called a wealthy boyhood friend named Lorenzo Fertitta.

Fertitta, a co-owner of Station Casinos, and his restauranteur older brother Frank came to an agreement in 2001 to purchase the UFC for $2 million.

The company was a significant risk when they bought it because it had few assets or inherent value.

White was appointed president and awarded a 9% ownership stake due to his vision and drive to expand the business.

This can be seen as “sweat equity” because it gave White, the President, a financial incentive to expand the company successfully. White’s shareholding was less than $200,000 at the time of purchase.

MMA Rise

White was able to significantly increase its revenue between 2001 and 2016. The business generated nearly $600 Million in revenue in just one year.

Under White’s direction, the UFC has conducted events in more than 175 nations and has distributed pay-per-view programming to tens of millions of households worldwide.

Additionally, it is the residence of some of the most well-known fighters alive today, like Jon Jones, Anderson Silva, and Conor McGregor.

For his efforts in recovering the flagging brand and becoming the UFC the biggest Mixed-Martial Arts (MMA) organisation in the world, White has received accolades.

The UFC was sold to several investors in WME-IMG for $4.025 billion in July 2016. At the time, White’s investment was worth more than $360 million.

Soon later, it was revealed that White would remain in that position while receiving a larger ownership stake.

Dana White has a net worth of $500 million as of September 2022. White’s net worth has significantly increased along with the UFC’s brand value in recent years. Conor McGregor and Rhonda Rousey, among other specific starfighters, can be credited with a large portion of the brand’s expansion.

The UFC has already propelled to one of the top 10 most valuable sports business brands in the world because to the company’s remarkable expansion.

White sold 9% of his UFC stock in 2016, and as president of the organisation, he now earns $20 million annually. White’s net worth will only increase over time because of his salary and the ownership of the company.

Conor McGregor Is Making Big Business Tap Out

The biggest pay-per-view star the UFC has ever had is Conor McGregor. The Irishman has a fan base that is larger than the populations of some nations.

Because of his enormous social media reach and fan base, “Notorious” is able to market anything he wants, not only his battles. Conor McGregor has entirely altered his fortune through business decisions, going from relying on social welfare payments to earning nine-figure salaries.

Conor McGregor made a decision that undoubtedly changed his life by switching to mixed martial arts, but the Irishman did not stop there. Due to his desire for wealth, the former UFC lightweight and featherweight champion made financial decisions that made him a success case study.

Conor McGregor worked as a plumber’s apprentice in Dublin, Ireland, before he rose to the status of smack-talking, money-making MMA superstar. He entered the UFC after garnering attention for his high level of striking intelligence while earning roughly $150 each fight in Cage Warriors.

The earnings quickly increased as “Notorious” continued to enhance his reputation by receiving frequent mentions on news channels. Starting in 2016, his pay increased to approximately $3 million per fight. He won $18 million for his six UFC victories over Dustin Poirier, Khabib Nurmagomedov, Eddie Alvarez, and Nate Diaz (twice).

The first UFC fighter to get million-dollar compensation checks for events was Conor McGregor. He earned $5 million from his last appearance at UFC 257 versus Dustin Poirier. These numbers only reflect McGregor’s base compensation for the fights; they do not account for his cut of the PPV sales.

Conor McGregor made his professional boxing debut in 2017, which turned out to be one of the highest-paid debuts ever. On August 26, 2017, he took on Floyd Mayweather in the “Money Fight,” which has been called one of the biggest battles in sports history.

Conor McGregor reportedly earned close to $100 million for the battle, despite losing the fight by TKO in the tenth round. The Irishman undoubtedly made more than five times as much money as his previous largest payday, even if the reported sum was pre-tax.

A staggering 4.3 million people bought the “Money Fight” on pay-per-view, bringing in more than $550 million in income. The Irishman introduced the “Proper No. 12” brand a year later.

Suitable No. 12 Conor McGregor’s first foray outside of combat sports was Irish Whiskey. With the help of the sportsman’s showmanship, the brand made close to $1 billion in sales in its first year.

Additionally, Conor McGregor did a great job at marketing his whiskey. The fight between Deontay Wilder and Tyson Fury 2 at the MGM Arena in Nevada in February 2020 was sponsored by “Proper No. 12.” When McGregor and the UFC agreed to a six-fight deal in 2018, Proper No. 12 also agreed to appear as a sponsor on each card the Irishman competes on.

Proximo Spirits paid $600 million to acquire the majority of Proper No. 12 on April 28, 2021. Previously, the corporation had 49% of the equity in the liquor brand. Although the exact amount Conor McGregor made from the contract is unknown, it was likely pretty significant.