Did Dana White sell his UFC stakes to Endeavor during buyout? The president's ownership discussed

Dana White has been the president and public face of the UFC for many years, during which time he has presided over the promotion's meteoric rise to the top of the mixed martial arts world. He played an instrumental part in the company being sold to Endeavor Group, which begs the question: Does Dana White still hold stakes in the UFC?

According to a report by The Manual, before the company was sold to a group of investors led by WME-IMG in 2016 for slightly over $4 billion, Dana White owned 9% of the organization.

MMA Fighting reported that White's contract with the new UFC ownership entitles him to 9% of future profits after the investors bought his stakes during the complete acquisition. Sources have also verified that White will receive approximately $360 million from the $4 billion sale of the organization.

To further shed light on the series of events that led to the sale, Zuffa, the parent company of the UFC, was sold in 2016 for US$4.025 billion to an investor group led by Endeavor, formerly known as William Morris Endeavor (WME-IMG), which included Silver Lake Partners, Kohlberg Kravis Roberts, and MSD Capital. In 2021, Endeavour paid $1.7 billion to acquire the remaining shares from the owners in Zuffa.

Dana White's ownership and progression through the organization can be traced back to his days as a manager for Tito Ortiz and Chuck Liddell. During that time, he met Bob Meyrowitz, the owner of Semaphore Entertainment Group, the UFC's parent company, and learned that Meyrowitz intended to sell the organization.

White then suggested to his childhood friend and co-founder of Station Casinos, Lorenzo Fertitta, that he acquire the company. In 2001, Lorenzo and his older sibling Frank purchased the UFC for $2 million and appointed Dana White as the organization's president.

According to White, the UFC was essentially a brand name and an old octagon at the time, as the corporation had been stripped down to avoid bankruptcy. In addition, it had a negative reputation, and the Athletic Commission did not view it as a legitimate sport.

Over time, White transformed the business into the wildly successful brand we all know and adore today, legitimizing it by introducing a set of standardized rules and institutionalizing the sport.

---

Dana White sells UFC: UFC president announces new UFC deal with New South Wales, Australia

Dana White recently announced that the organization has signed a new agreement with the government of New South Wales to host three pay-per-view events in Sydney over the next four years.

UFC 293 will be the promotion's second appearance in Australia this year, following UFC 284 in Perth in February. White announced via his social media accounts that fans will now also be able to purchase travel packages and VIP experiences for the upcoming event. Thrilled by the new agreement, White signed off by stating:

"I will see you all in Sydney."