Who is Dana White? What is his relationship with Donald Trump? Meet the UFC boss who introduced the former president at RNC finale tonight

Dana White introduced Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention instead of a family member with a fiery speech that was received with thunderous applause. Trump returned the favor by giving props to White and his family when he took the stage.

It was evident in the exchange how White and the former United States president hold each other in high regard.

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Who is Dana White? What is the nature of his relationship with Donald Trump?

Dana White is the current CEO of the Ultimate Fighting Championship. A twice college dropout, White boxing at age 17, and befriended former Golden Gloves champion Peter Welch.

He was drawn to the appeal of the sport and wanted to enter the fight business. He has been at the premier MMA promotion's helm since Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta purchased it in 2001. After serving as the president of the UFC for more than two decades, he was appointed the CEO in 2023 after the merger with WWE and subsequent formation of TKO Holdings Group.

Donald Trump is often spotted at UFC events and is always walked out by White. The two share a close friendship and shared respect for years now, which is why White introducing Trump at the convention does not come as a surprise to many.

White was amongst the first to reach out to the Republican leader following the recent assassination attempt in Butler, Pennsylvania.

His association with Trump began in the early 2000s when Trump was impressed by White's vision for the sport. This was around the same time that the UFC was purchased by the Fertittas. They shouldered the considerable challenge of fixing a damaged brand, getting the sport back on cable, and finding venues to stage events in a sport regulated by athletic commissions in many states.

That was the point when Trump backed them and the connection solidified. UFC 30 was hosted at the Trump Taj Mahal in Atlantic City in 2001 which proved to be a significant boost to the fledgling ownership.

Over the years, Trump has attended several UFC events and invariably gets the best seat in the house. The UFC head honcho was also a vocal supporter of Trump's presidential campaign in 2016, lending visibility and credibility to his efforts, especially among sports enthusiasts.

The symbiotic partnership has now forged into a strong working relationship most recently showcased at the Republican National Convention. White introduced Trump at the convention and delivered a strong speech, claiming:

“I’m in the tough guy business and this guy is the toughest, most resilient human being that I’ve ever met in my life.”

Check out the full speech below:

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Donald Trump honors Dana White's family at the RNC finale

When Dana White took the stage to introduce Donald Trump at the Republican National Convention finale, he asserted that Trump is a proven, fearless leader and that the "country was in a much better place when he was in the Oval Office.”

White concluded his speech by claiming that he would choose "strength and security." Speaking about White and his family at the convention, Trump said:

"He [White] was on probably the only vacation maybe ever... My people called [initially] and he said he won't be able to do it [since] this is many many years of promise [of vacation] to my wife and I can't do it. They [Trump's team] came in and told Dana won't be able to do it. He was my first, second, and third choice."

He added:

"About thirty minutes later they came back in and told Dana will do it. His wife said, 'You can't turn him down. You have to go'. That's a good wife. I just wanna thank her and him and their whole family."

Check out Trump's comments below: