"I was dying" - Islam Makhachev's manager shares touching story of Dana White's interference during near-death COVID experience

Islam Makhachev's manager has opened up about Dana White's role during a challenging period in his life.

UFC CEO Dana White has long been a prominent figure in the world of combat sports, earning criticism from some and praise from others. A notable instance of his significance in the sports/entertainment and broader socio-political realm came when he made waves with his sports promotion work during the peak of the COVID-19 global pandemic.

In early 2020, while most major sports organizations like the NFL, NBA, etc. hesitated to organize events, the White-helmed UFC led the way. Barring a few canceled events, White and the UFC put on several fight cards. He was subsequently lauded for his brave-decision making.

On the Show me the Money podcast, Dominance MMA Management's founder Ali Abdelaziz praised Dana White for his help during COVID. Ali manages MMA stars such as UFC lightweight champion Islam Makhachev, Kayla Harrison, and more. When Abdelaziz was afflicted by COVID-19 and had a near-death experience, White aided him.

The MMA manager, who's often expressed his respect for White, stated:

"Honestly, when I look at Dana as an individual, he's such an honorable, great human being. Like, if he know tomorrow your kid's sick, I promise you he's gonna call you, he's going to try to get you a doctor, he's going to send you a medicine."

He added:

"When I got COVID, like I was telling you earlier, I was dying. I went to different hospital. He [Dana White] called. [UFC exec] Hunter [Campbell] called. Three weeks, they make sure I was taken care of. I got like a suite. They treated me; I was like the president of the United States. Dana's a great guy, man; a great family, his wife, kids, These are good people."

Check out Abdelaziz's comments below (33:05):

---

When Dana White reached out to UFC employees during the COVID pandemic

In an appearance on Tucker Carlson Tonight on Fox News in 2022, Dana White shed light on how he ensured that the UFC employees were provided help during the COVID pandemic. White implied that he regularly communicated with them during the lockdowns and reassured them that he'd provide them with everything they needed (including food and toiletries).

Furthermore, White explained that he and his team at the UFC emerged stronger from the hardships of the pandemic. The American entrepreneur highlighted that even in 2022, many other companies and their employees couldn't regain their footing after the pandemic-induced struggles.

White also noted that he and his entire team were back to their normal work routine three to four weeks into the pandemic. He said:

"I was sending out weekly videos to my employees. 'Listen, enjoy this time that you have with your families. Relax. If you get COVID, or anybody that you know about gets COVID, make me your first call. We'll get you taken care of. We'll get you looked at.'"

Check out White's comments below (6:35):