Dana White recalls the only time he felt the UFC was in grave danger

Dana White recently opened up about when he was genuinely perturbed about the UFC going down due to massive debt. White was roped in to serve as the promotion's president in 2001 by the Fertitta brothers, the organization's former owners.

The UFC's early days were rough sailing, and the MMA wasn't nearly as mainstream as it is today. Due to many looking at the sport as barbaric and excessively violent, many states in the USA outlawed it, whereas some didn't even have sanctioning bodies to host events. However, things are different today.

The UFC has established itself as MMA's premier promotion and is one of the fastest-rising sporting leagues in the world. With massive sponsorships and broadcasting deals, the promotion recently merged with the WWE under the TKO Group Holdings banner in one of the most lucrative mergers in combat sports ever.

Much of the UFC's success is credited to Dana White and his incredible stewardship through tough times. In a recent interview with Sun Sport, the UFC CEO opened up about his toughest phase as the organization's head honcho.

Revealing that the UFC almost went under in 2004 due to a $40 million debt, he said:

"If I had to think of an era or period [where we were in trouble], it was before 'The Ultimate Fighter.' We were $40 million in the hole."

A crucial £8.1 million investment from the Fertittas saved the UFC in 2004, and they launched their iconic 'The Ultimate Fighter' reality show. The first season's finale fight between Stephen Bonnar and Forrest Griffin ultimately went down in history as the slugfest that saved the UFC from drowning.

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When Dana White revealed how Donald Trump helped the UFC during its infancy

It's no secret that UFC CEO Dana White shares a close relationship with Donald Trump.

While the former U.S. President is often considered a polarizing figure in American politics, White has never shied away from showing his support for the 77-year-old. In the past, he has also participated in Trump's political rallies and campaigned via speeches during election season.

White and Trump go way back. America's 45th president seemingly helped the UFC during its early days and allowed the promotion to host its MMA events at his hotels when all other venues rejected them.

In an episode of The Pivot Podcast in 2022, Dana White explained how Donald Trump's incredible act of generosity helped the UFC grow. He said:

"This brand was so bad, the venues didn't even want us... Trump literally called us. He said, 'Come to my place, do the event here. We'll have you at the Trump Taj Mahal.' We get there, and the greatest setup for us. Showed up at the first fight, and he was there until the last fight. Both times we went there."

Catch White's comments below (23:33):