Dana White: UFC President, Net Worth, Trump Support and Controversies

Love him or hate him, Dana White has been the defining voice of the UFC for over two decades. From building a billion-dollar fight empire to navigating headline-making controversies, the UFC president’s life is a masterclass in sharp business instincts and unvarnished personal convictions. Here’s what we know about his net worth, his political alliance with Donald Trump, and the stories that keep him in the news.

Net worth: estimated $500 million (2024) ·
UFC president since: 2001 ·
UFC ownership stake: minority (approx. 9%) ·
Known political support: publicly supported Donald Trump ·
Notable health diagnosis: sleep apnea (reported) ·
Public incidents: controversial slap at wife (2022)

Here are five biographical facts that frame Dana White’s public profile:

Does Dana White still support Trump?

Dana White’s public endorsements

• White spoke at the 2020 Republican National Convention in support of Trump. (TIME (political coverage))
• He introduced Trump again at the 2024 Republican National Convention, signalling a deepening of the political bond. (WUSF (public radio report))
• White has repeatedly described Trump as a “good friend” and publicly stated his support on a personal level. (PBS (interview transcription))

The pattern is unmistakable: White has publicly aligned himself with Trump at every major political juncture.

Trump appearances at UFC events

• The friendship dates back to the late 1990s, when Trump allowed UFC to hold events at his Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City after many venues refused. (ESPN (longform relationship analysis))
• Trump attended UFC 244 at Madison Square Garden, a high-profile symbol of their alliance.

What this means: For White, political support is also a business strategy, opening doors to the White House itself.

What is Dana White’s net worth?

Sources of Dana White’s wealth

• Sports Illustrated reported in 2025 that White’s estimated net worth is around $500 million. (Sports Illustrated (financial profile))
• Wealth tracking site Celebrity Net Worth also converges on the $500 million figure. (Celebrity Net Worth (aggregated wealth data))
• White’s wealth comes primarily from his salary as UFC CEO and a minority ownership stake that made him a major beneficiary of the 2016 sale of UFC to WME-IMG for $4 billion. (Wikipedia (corporate timeline))
• A Forbes estimate cited by Wikipedia placed the figure north of $600 million, though this specific report is based on less independently confirmed data. (Wikipedia (citing Forbes))

The trade-off: White’s public wealth estimate sits at half a billion dollars, but the full scope of his earnings remains opaque since he no longer holds a major equity stake in the company he built.

What did Dana White get diagnosed with?

Sleep apnea diagnosis

• White has spoken publicly about struggling with sleep apnea and using a CPAP machine to manage the condition. (Wikipedia (biographical details))
• The diagnosis has been a recurring topic in his interviews, where he describes the impact on his daily energy and health routine.

The implication is that White, despite his high-energy public persona, manages a common but serious chronic condition.

Who owns 100% of UFC?

Current UFC ownership structure

• Endeavor (formerly WME-IMG) acquired majority control of the UFC in 2016 for $4 billion. (Britannica (corporate history))
• In 2023, the UFC merged with WWE under a new publicly traded parent company, TKO Group Holdings. (Wikipedia (TKO merger timeline))
• Dana White retains a minority ownership stake, estimated at around 9%, and serves as the CEO of the UFC within TKO. (Wikipedia (ownership details))

Endeavor and TKO Group

• TKO Group Holdings now controls both UFC and WWE, consolidating combat sports and entertainment under one entity. (Wikipedia (TKO overview))
• White’s role as UFC president remained intact after the TKO merger, cementing his operational control.

The catch: Dana White markets himself as the face of the UFC, but he is an employee-owner of a publicly traded holding company, not the sole proprietor he once was.

What is Dana White accused of?

Slap incident at New Year’s party

• In a 2022 video released by TMZ, White was seen slapping his wife during an altercation at a New Year’s Eve party in Cabo San Lucas. (Britannica (incident summary))
• White issued a public apology, calling the incident a personal failure and stating he was “not proud” of his actions.

Historical allegations

• Multiple antitrust lawsuits filed in the 2010s accused the UFC of unfair pay practices and monopolizing the MMA fighter market. (Britannica (legal history))
• In 2024, the UFC reached a $375 million settlement covering over 150 fighters to resolve the class-action claims. (Britannica (settlement details))

The pattern is clear: White’s leadership is challenged on two fronts — personal conduct in a viral video and systemic business practices in a courtroom.

How did Dana White meet Trump?

Early UFC events at Trump venues

• In the late 1990s, when the UFC was struggling to find venues, Donald Trump allowed the organization to hold events at his Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City. (ESPN (detailed relationship history))
• UFC 31 and UFC 32 were held at Trump Taj Mahal, creating a foundational business relationship between White and Trump.

Relationship timeline

• Their friendship deepened over the years, with Trump hosting fighters at his properties and White becoming a vocal supporter of Trump’s presidential campaigns. (Britannica (political alignment description))
• White spoke at the 2020 and 2024 Republican National Conventions in support of Trump. (TIME (convention coverage))
• In January 2025, White was appointed to the board of directors of Meta by Mark Zuckerberg, a move analysts linked to currying favor with the incoming administration. (ESPN (Meta board analysis))

Why this matters: What started as a venue deal turned into one of the most enduring cross-industry friendships in American public life.

For the UFC’s parent company, TKO Group Holdings, the bet is clear: keep Dana White at the center of the promotion, controversies and all, because his personal brand remains the single most valuable asset in mixed martial arts. The success of the upcoming White House event — and the ongoing antitrust appeals — will test whether that brand can withstand its own weight.