Wishes are pouring in as UFC CEO Dana White recently joined the board of directors at Meta. White, along with Exor CEO John Elkann and former Microsoft executive Charlie Songhurst, makes up the trio of newly appointed board members for the social media giant.
On Jan. 6, White announced the news through a social media post, sharing a picture of himself with Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg. The caption read:
"I love social media. And I’m excited to be a small part of the future of AI and emerging technologies. @meta"
Check out Dana White's Instagram post below:
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UFC commentator John Gooden took to the comments section and congratulated White for his appointment:
"Congrats to Dana and Meta."
Notable MMA fighters and prominent personalities from different fields, including Jorge Masvidal, Karyn Bryant, and Andrew Huberman, congratulated White on his appointment.
In his statement about joining Meta's board of directors, White said:
"I've never been interested in joining a board of directors until I got the offer to join Meta's board. I am a huge believer that social media and AI are the future... I am very excited to join this incredible team and to learn more about this business from the inside. There is nothing I love more than building the brands, and I look forward to helping take Meta to the next level."
Mark Zuckerberg praises Dana White's role in building the UFC in his statement
UFC CEO Dana White is credited with transforming MMA from a marginalized sport into a mainstream attraction. In the early 2000s, White, along with Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta, acquired the UFC and built it into a multi-billion dollar enterprise. Many people have praised him for expanding the global reach of MMA.
In a statement announcing White's appointment to Meta's board of directors, Mark Zuckerberg praised White's significant role in the growth of the sport:
"Dana [White] is the president and CEO of UFC, and he has built it into one of the most valuable, fastest growing, and most popular sports enterprises in the world. I have admired him as an entrepreneur and his ability to build such a beloved brand."
The MMA community has celebrated White's appointment, but several media houses have speculated that it is a part of Zuckerberg's efforts to mend his relationship with United States President-elect Donald Trump.
Historically, Trump and Zuckerberg have had a strained relationship. However, reports suggest that Zuckerberg is attempting to gain Trump's favor. This speculation intensified after it was reported that Meta donated $1 million to Trump's inaugural fund. Many feel that the appointment of White, a close friend of Trump, on the board of directors is another step in that direction.