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UFC president Dana White is widely-revered not only for his work as a fight promoter, but also for the genuine love he displays for sports. Combat sports, in particular, have long been something that White has admired. Despite being well-acquainted with a myriad of athletes from different sports, White – akin to many others – isn’t immune to being starstruck by some of them.
In his latest interview with the Nelk Boys’ Full Send MMA, the UFC boss was asked whether he’s ever been starstruck by an athlete. White responded by suggesting that he’s still starstruck by former undisputed boxing heavyweight champion and all-time great pugilist Mike Tyson. White stated:
“Not really. I don’t know. Obviously, [Mike] Tyson. I mean, I’ve known Tyson for many, many years. And I still get blown away when I’m around Tyson. He was one of my all-time-favorites growing up.”
“Other than that, man, I mean, [Hollywood actor] Clint Eastwood is my only other guy.”
When asked if he felt a sort of energy when he first met Tyson, White said:
“Yeah, I think from when Mike and I first became friends—the first 30 times I saw him—I’d be like, ‘Holy sh**! Mike Tyson!’”
Dana White proceeded to suggest that when he was growing up, basketball legend Michael Jordan and boxing icon Mike Tyson were the biggest stars in sports. Indicating that he looked up to them, White added that Tyson is one of his all-time favorites.
Watch White discuss the topic at 1:02 in the video below:
Mike Tyson lauds Dana White for the way he runs the UFC
Over the past several months, Dana White and the UFC have been the recipients of a considerable amount of criticism in regard to UFC fighter pay. From YouTube megastar-turned-boxer Jake Paul to high-profile UFC fighters such as Luke Rockhold, many in the combat sports world have accused White and the UFC of underpaying UFC fighters.
Regardless, Mike Tyson has time and again praised Dana White and the manner in which he conducts his business. ‘Iron’ has been good friends with White for the past several years and is well-aware of the MMA personality’s business acumen. In an appearance on the Full Send Podcast last year, Mike Tyson spoke to the Nelk Boys and explained how brilliantly White runs the UFC. Tyson said:
"Dana's doing what he believes is right with the situation. You have to understand, that's his show. He's a one-man army, so what he says goes. It doesn't matter if it's me, you, if anybody like it, it's gonna happen. It's going down."
Watch the podcast episode featuring Tyson in the video below:
