Sixteen years, sixteen wins. If there’s a leading man GOAT, it’s Dana White. Dana White’s streak as the fan-voted winner of the prestigious MMA Awards’ Leading Man Award is as unparalleled as the UFC’s global dominance. Standing as the face and driving force behind the world’s largest MMA organization, White’s vision has taken the UFC from a niche spectacle to a billion-dollar empire. From securing the groundbreaking ESPN deal to spearheading massive global events, his fingerprints are all over MMA’s evolution into a mainstream sport. With Dana at the helm, the UFC’s reach has spanned continents, launched stars, and inspired countless promotions to emulate its formula. His dedication to fan engagement, business innovation, and fighter development has cemented his reputation as one of the most influential figures in sports history.
SWEET SIXTEEN AND COUNTING
Sixteen years of winning the same award might sound repetitive to some, but for Dana White, it’s a yearly reminder of the unwavering support from the fans.
“I love that the fans vote for this,” he said White while holding the award above his head. “I appreciate this every year. It means a lot to me. I still love this sport. I still love getting up every day, going to work, doing it with the people I love to work with every day and the sport that I love. Thank you. I really appreciate it.”
Going backstage, away from the bright lights, White had a moment to reflect on the award's significance.
“Well, I say it all the time,” Dana smiled when asked what the award meant to him after all these years. “I always strive to beat the year before, and I say, how the hell are we going to beat this year? But every year, we seem to do it, thank God. And we're coming off another unbelievable year with the Sphere and lots of other things that we pulled off this year, and thinking about how we're going to do it next year, too. I mean, we just announced the fight in Los Angeles, which is an incredible card. And so that's to end the year. So, what do we begin the year with? So it’s just always trying to take it to the next level.”
Leadership like this has taken MMA from underground events to packed arenas and primetime television.
BUILDING A LEGACY
Under his leadership, the organization has brought MMA to markets like Abu Dhabi, China, and Brazil.
“Yeah, well, not necessarily brainstorming sessions, but, like, the Sphere is a perfect example,” says White when asked about how the UFC brainstorms new projects. “I went to U2. I saw the capabilities of the Sphere, and I was like, 'Yeah, we're going to be first.' We're going to do this. And who knows? We might be the only ones. They might only have concerts there. There might never be another sporting event that goes in and comes out behind us. But that's the type. That's the type of stuff that I like to do.”
And you can bet the world wants him to keep doing what makes him happy.
LOOKING AHEAD
Despite his incredible achievements, White’s ambition shows no signs of slowing down, even in the face of seemingly impossible events that are world firsts.
“No,” says White when asked if there is ever a point during organizing an event where he’s worried if it will fail. “But I can tell you this. When I planned the Sphere, I said, 'Oh, no, this is a beast. It's a monster.' But, yeah, we did it. We pulled it off. And the big thing is that, like, these concerts that go in and stuff, they don't create the content. I mean, we go in. We're probably the only sports league in all of sports that does our own production. And handles all that stuff ourselves. So it's always a challenge.”
For the world of fight fans, it's been a fun ride watching White come up with his incredible ideas over the last 16 years, and his supporters show their appreciation every year. Sixteen wins down, but Dana White is still fighting—not in the octagon, but for the continued growth of a sport he’s made impossible to ignore.
