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Dana White is best known for his vitriolic spats with a range of public figures. Whether he's accusing a UFC fighter of avoiding a matchup with their foe or waging a media war with former fighter Brendan Schaub, the UFC President's reputation is largely built off the back of his confrontational nature.
However, Dana White's relationships aren't all negative. His friendships with Conor McGregor, Ronda Rousey and Brock Lesnar are prime examples. What many might not know, though, is that Dana White's goodwill doesn't just extend to fighters who have generated a tremendous amount of revenue for the UFC.
At times, the UFC President has acted favorably towards celebrities. Even more surprising is that the 53-year old has exerted additional effort on certain celebrities, some of whom he considers personal friends. As a follow-up to Dana White's recent links to Mack Zuckerberg, this list looks at 5 times the UFC President went above and beyond to meet a celebrity's request.
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#5. Halle Berry
While Dana White and Halle Berry are by no means close friends, the UFC President allowed the Hollywood star to become a staple of the promotion's media events for some time. This was done in an effort to help Halle Berry promote her MMA-inspired film Bruised since it featured the likes of Valentina Shevchenko and Miesha Tate.
Dana White even went as far as allowing the Bruised star to oversee the official staredown between Rose Namajunas and Zhang Weili at the ceremonial weigh-ins for their rematch.
Given that fighter staredowns are tense affairs with the ever-present risk of a brawl sparking, Dana White ran the enormous risk of a situation spilling out of control by having Halle Berry—a figure of no authority in the UFC—mediate the staredowns.
#4. Shaquille O'Neal
NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal is a massive MMA fan. In the past, he's spoken about the potential of a career as a mixed martial artist. According to Shaquille O'Neal, towards the end of his time as a basketball player, he would have transitioned into MMA in pursuit of matchups with superheavyweights Bob Sapp and Hong-man Choi.
While the basketball Hall of Famer never got the chance to pursue MMA as a career, he was given the chance to spar with former UFC fighters Forrest Griffin and Claudia Gadelha at the UFC Performance Institute. Not only did Dana White allow the NBA legend to spar with two of his former fighters, but the UFC president served as the referee for both bouts.
#3. Donald Trump
While the younger members of today's MMA fanbase might not remember it, MMA was once even more of a niche sport than it currently is. Despite the enormous success that PRIDE enjoyed in Japan, the Asian market was distinct from its North American counterpart. With states upholding laws that delegitimized MMA as a sport, and venues refusing to host UFC events, Dana White was out of options.
However, good fortune soon smiled in his direction when future U.S.A. President Donald Trump offered to host UFC fights at the Trump Taj Mahal. It was an offer that Dana White could not refuse. The favorable treatment that Trump gave White led to a strong friendship that stood the test of time.
So when Trump ran for President of the United States, White was asked to speak at a Republican convention in 2016. Not only did the UFC president accept Trump's request, but he did so again years later in 2020, endorsing his friend despite being advised by others against getting involved in politics.
#2. CM Punk
Former WWE Superstar CM Punk was once one of the hottest properties in the world of professional wrestling. While his starpower has since dimmed, he remains a household name in sports entertainment. Unfortunately, while the former WWE champion's popularity was at its peak, he walked away from WWE and pro-wrestling altogether.
Disillusioned with the manner of his booking towards the end of his time under Vince McMahon's direction, CM Punk shocked the world when he announced his intentions to pursue a career as a mixed martial artist. With no prior MMA experience or even an amateur background in martial arts, many questioned the logic of CM Punk's new career path.
Due to his friendship with Dana White, the former WWE Superstar's desire to become an MMA fighter was honored when he was signed to the UFC despite being more than a decade too old to start training. It was a massive opportunity that led to nothing more than two one-sided losses that led to Punk's inevitable release.
#1. When Dana White gave Mark Zuckerberg a private UFC viewing
In recent months, Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg has expressed an increasing interest in MMA.
In one of Joe Rogan's podcasts, Mark Zuckerberg spoke candidly about his love for Brazilian jiu-jitsu. Before long, videos of the Facebook CEO sparring and training surfaced, earning him praise from UFC megastar Conor McGregor.
During the leadup to last Saturday's UFC Fight Night 211 card, headliner Mackenzie Dern claimed that Mark Zuckerberg rented out the UFC Apex arena. While Dana White initially denied the rumors, Mark Zuckerberg was spotted alongside his wife in what was a private affair with no media or public allowed.
Of all the favors the UFC president has given, allowing a celebrity and his wife to watch an event cage-side when it's been closed off to a live audience is something he's never done before.
