Dana White is the 57-year-old president and CEO of the UFC, a TKO Group company, and Forbes put his net worth at over $600 million in 2025. On November 7, 2026, President Donald Trump said he offered White the job of White House Press Secretary, and White said only that he has a meeting with Trump on Monday, November 9.
Who is Dana White – Introduction
Dana White runs the Ultimate Fighting Championship, the largest mixed martial arts promotion in the world. He was born on July 28, 1969 in Manchester, Connecticut, and he has led the UFC as president since 2001. In 2023 he added the CEO title when the UFC merged with WWE to form TKO Group. Dana White also sits on the board of Meta, runs Zuffa Boxing and founded Power Slap.
2026 put White in the national news for a new reason. He staged UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn on June 14, then drew a surprise offer from Trump on November 7 to become the next White House Press Secretary. The post has been empty since Katie Zacharia left on October 16. This report covers White’s net worth, career, business results, ties to Trump and the press secretary offer, one data table at a time.
Interesting Facts about Dana White in 2026
| Fact | 2026 Data |
|---|---|
| Born | July 28, 1969, Manchester, Connecticut |
| Age | 57 |
| UFC president since | 2001 |
| UFC CEO since | 2023 |
| Net worth (Forbes, 2025) | Over $600 million |
| UFC purchase price, 2001 | $2 million |
| UFC revenue, 2025 | $1.502 billion |
| Paramount media deal | $7.7 billion over 7 years |
| UFC Freedom 250 | June 14, 2026, White House South Lawn |
| Press secretary offer | November 7, 2026 |
Source: Forbes; TKO Group Holdings annual report, FY2025; U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission filings; Wikipedia; NBC News.
The table shows how far the UFC has come. White and the Fertitta brothers bought the promotion for $2 million in 2001. The UFC reported $1.502 billion in revenue for 2025, and its seven-year $7.7 billion deal with Paramount began in 2026. Forbes estimated White’s net worth at over $600 million in 2025, and other estimates run lower.
The last three rows tie White to the White House. UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026 was the first professional mixed martial arts event on White House grounds. Trump’s November 7 offer of the press secretary job came 22 days after Zacharia left, and White has said he is meeting Trump on November 9. He has not publicly accepted the job.
Dana White Net Worth 2026: Estimates, UFC Sale and Equity
DANA WHITE NET WORTH ESTIMATES (millions of dollars)
Forbes, 2025 | ███████████████████████████████████████ 600+
Mid-range estimates, 2026 | ██████████████████████████████████ 550
Lower estimate, 2026 | ██████████████████████████████ 500
| Metric | Value |
|---|---|
| Net worth, Forbes 2025 | Over $600 million |
| Estimates for 2026 | $500 million to $600 million |
| UFC purchase, 2001 | $2 million |
| UFC sale to WME-IMG, 2016 | About $4 billion ($4.025 billion reported; $4.2 billion announced) |
| Zuffa owners bought out by Endeavor, 2021 | $1.7 billion |
| White’s valuation claim for UFC | $50 billion |
Source: Forbes (2025 estimate); Wikipedia; Yahoo Sports interview with Dana White; U.S. SEC filings.
Forbes estimated White’s net worth at over $600 million in 2025. Other 2026 estimates range from $500 million to $600 million, depending on how each source values his equity. Most of his wealth traces to the 2016 sale of the UFC, in which White held a stake. The sale price is reported as $4.025 billion by one source and $4.2 billion by another, so both appear here.
In 2021, Endeavor bought out Zuffa’s other owners for $1.7 billion. White stayed on, and the 2023 TKO merger kept him in charge. White has said the UFC is worth $50 billion, a claim he made while comparing it with the Lakers’ sale price. That is his estimate, not an appraisal. Net worth figures for private individuals are estimates, and White has not published his own.
Dana White Career Timeline 2026: From Boxing Gym to UFC CEO
YEARS SINCE KEY CAREER MILESTONES (as of 2026)
Becomes UFC president (2001) | ████████████████████████ 25
UFC sold to WME-IMG (2016) | ██████████ 10
Endeavor buyout (2021) | █████ 5
TKO formed, White named CEO (2023) | ███ 3
Meta board, Zuffa Boxing (2025) | █ 1
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1969 | Born on July 28 in Manchester, Connecticut |
| Age 17 | Starts boxing; later opens a boxing gym in Boston with Peter Welch |
| 2001 | Fertitta brothers buy the UFC through Zuffa; White becomes president |
| 2016 | Zuffa sold to WME-IMG; White stays as president |
| 2021 | Endeavor buys out Zuffa’s other owners for $1.7 billion |
| 2023 | TKO Group forms on September 12; White named UFC CEO |
| 2025 | Joins Meta’s board; co-founds Zuffa Boxing; signs a five-year extension |
| 2026 | Stages UFC Freedom 250; offered press secretary job |
Source: Wikipedia; TKO Group Holdings; Cageside Press; Forbes; NBC News.
White started boxing at 17 and opened a gym in Boston with former Golden Gloves champion Peter Welch. That path led him to the fight business and, in 2001, to the UFC. The Fertitta brothers, who were high school friends, bought the promotion for $2 million and made him president. He held a stake in the company from the start.
His job has grown at each ownership change. After the 2016 sale, he stayed as president. TKO Group formed on September 12, 2023, and White took the CEO title. In 2025, Meta elected him to its board and he helped launch Zuffa Boxing. In December 2025 he said he had signed a five-year extension, which runs to about 2030.
UFC Business Statistics 2026 Under Dana White: Revenue, Media Rights and Events
UFC ANNUAL REVENUE (millions of dollars)
2015 | ████████████████████████ 609
2025 | ████████████████████████████████████████████████████████████ 1,502
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| UFC revenue, 2015 | $609 million |
| UFC revenue, 2025 | $1.502 billion |
| TKO revenue guidance, 2025 | $4.69 billion to $4.72 billion |
| Paramount media deal | $7.7 billion, 7 years, from 2026 |
| Average annual value | $1.1 billion |
| Prior ESPN deal | $1.5 billion over 5 years |
| UFC events on Paramount+ | 43 per year |
| Arena records set, 2025 | 8 |
Source: TKO Group Holdings annual report and Form 8-K filings, FY2025; Paramount and TKO announcement, August 11, 2025; Wikipedia.
UFC revenue grew from $609 million in 2015 to $1.502 billion in 2025, about 2.5 times over ten years. TKO guided to $4.69 billion to $4.72 billion in revenue for the whole company in 2025. UFC events set 8 arena revenue records in 2025, and partnership revenue rose 25% from renewals, according to TKO’s annual report.
The Paramount deal changes how fans watch. It runs 7 years at an average of $1.1 billion a year, or $7.7 billion in total, and TKO describes it as doubling the value of the prior agreement. All 43 annual events move to Paramount+ and the pay-per-view model ends in the US. White said a full year of fandom would cost about $120 instead of $1,200 or more. Payments are weighted toward the back end of the deal.
TKO Group and Zuffa Boxing 2026: Ownership and New Ventures
TKO GROUP KEY NUMBERS
WWE merger value ($ billions) | ██████ 9.3
WME Group ownership (percent) | ██████████████████████████████████████████ 63.9
Zuffa Boxing, TKO share (pct) | █████████████████████████████████ 40
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| TKO formed | September 12, 2023 |
| WWE and UFC merger value | About $9.3 billion |
| Majority owner | WME Group, 63.9% |
| Zuffa Boxing ownership | Sela 60%, TKO 40% |
| First Zuffa Boxing event | January 23, 2026, at the Meta Apex, Las Vegas |
| White’s roles | UFC president and CEO; Zuffa Boxing promoter |
| TKO CEO | Ari Emanuel |
Source: TKO Group Holdings; Wikipedia; U.S. SEC filings; ABC News, November 7, 2026.
TKO Group formed on September 12, 2023, when Endeavor merged the UFC with WWE in a deal valued at about $9.3 billion. WME Group holds 63.9% of TKO. Ari Emanuel is the TKO chief executive, and White reports to him as UFC CEO. White’s UFC runs inside a public company, so its results appear in federal filings.
Zuffa Boxing is a 2025 venture in which Sela holds 60% and TKO holds 40%. Its first event was on January 23, 2026, and it runs a partnership with Paramount. White promoted a Zuffa Boxing card in London on November 7, hours before he answered questions about the press secretary offer. He said he wants more Zuffa Boxing events around the world.
UFC Freedom 250 at the White House 2026: Attendance and Results
UFC FREEDOM 250 AUDIENCE (June 14, 2026)
South Lawn (invited guests) | ██ 4,300
Ellipse viewing party | ██████████████████████████████████████ 85,000
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Date | June 14, 2026 |
| Venue | White House South Lawn |
| Fighters and bouts | 14 fighters, 7 bouts |
| South Lawn attendance | About 4,300 (estimated) |
| Ellipse viewing party | About 85,000 |
| Lightweight title | Justin Gaethje beat Ilia Topuria |
| Interim heavyweight title | Ciryl Gane beat Alex Pereira |
| Streaming record | Most-watched exclusive live event on Paramount+ as of June 2026 |
Source: Fox News; NBC News; Axios; CNN; Wikipedia; UFC, June 2026.
UFC Freedom 250 was the first professional mixed martial arts event on White House grounds. It marked the nation’s 250th anniversary and Trump’s 80th birthday. About 4,300 invited guests sat on the South Lawn, and about 85,000 people watched on screens at the Ellipse. 14 fighters competed, and the main event went through the Oval Office to the cage.
Gaethje beat Topuria for the lightweight title, and Gane beat Pereira for the interim heavyweight title. White said Paramount’s chief executive was thrilled with the numbers during the night. The event was the most-watched exclusive live event on Paramount+ as of June 2026. It also drew criticism from those who objected to the setting, and supporters called it a patriotic spectacle.
Dana White and Donald Trump 2026: Timeline of a Friendship
YEARS SINCE KEY MOMENTS IN THE WHITE-TRUMP TIMELINE
UFC events at Trump's Taj Mahal (early 2000s) | ████████████████████████ 25
White says "Trump is a fighter" (2015) | ███████████ 11
Trump at UFC 295 with White (2023) | ███ 3
Inauguration attendance (2025) | █ 1
UFC Freedom 250 (June 2026) | 0
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Early 2000s | UFC events held at Trump’s Taj Mahal casino in Atlantic City |
| 2015 | White says he has called Trump “a fighter” since that year |
| November 11, 2023 | Trump attends UFC 295 in New York with White |
| January 20, 2025 | White attends Trump’s inauguration |
| June 14, 2026 | UFC Freedom 250 on the White House South Lawn |
| November 7, 2026 | Trump offers White the press secretary job |
Source: Sportskeeda; AOL; Sports Illustrated; NBC News; Wikipedia, 2023-2026.
The pair’s ties date to the early 2000s, when UFC events took place at Trump’s Taj Mahal casino. White has said he has called Trump a fighter since 2015. Trump attended UFC 295 in New York on November 11, 2023 with White, and White attended Trump’s inauguration on January 20, 2025. White is a registered Republican.
White has said he does not want politics to affect his business. In 2023 he said a sponsor asked him to take down a video of Trump, and that he refused. UFC Freedom 250 on June 14, 2026 was the high point of the friendship. White met with Trump every few months while planning it, according to Axios. Critics say the ties blur the line between a private company and the government.
Dana White Press Secretary Offer 2026: What Happened on November 7
KEY DATES IN THE PRESS SECRETARY STORY
Katie Zacharia leaves (Oct 16) | ●
Trump posts the offer (Nov 7) | ●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●●● 22 days later
White meets Trump (Nov 9) | ●● 2 days after the offer
| Metric | Detail |
|---|---|
| Offer date | Saturday, November 7, 2026, on Truth Social |
| Trump’s words | “the Great Dana White, a violent Fighter and Warrior” |
| Request to White | Bring several UFC fighters as “assistants” |
| White’s response | “I got a lot of jobs already” |
| Planned meeting | Monday, November 9, 2026 |
| White’s Instagram post | Image of the press briefing room with “On to the next chapter” |
| CNN report | A source said White declined the offer |
| Days since Zacharia left | 22 |
Source: NBC News; Fox News; ESPN; CNN; ABC News; Mediaite, November 7-8, 2026.
Trump posted the offer from his golf club in Florida and asked White to bring six fighters as assistants. White spoke at a Zuffa Boxing press conference in London and said he was flying to Washington to meet Trump on Monday. He laughed and said he already had “a lot of jobs.” He also shared an image of himself at the briefing room podium captioned “On to the next chapter.”
Reporting conflicts on whether the offer is serious. One aide described the post as a joke, and CNN cited a source who said White would not take the job. White has not publicly accepted or declined. Communications director Steven Cheung reposted Trump’s post with enthusiasm. The White House has had no press secretary since October 16, when Zacharia left after five days, and the offer arrives with the job still vacant.
Dana White Contract and Pay 2026: Extension, Fighter Pay and Executive Context
TKO EXECUTIVE COMPENSATION, 2025 (millions of dollars)
Ari Emanuel, CEO | ███████████████████████████████████████████████████ 67.4
Mark Shapiro, COO | ███████████████████████████████████████ 42.6
Nick Khan, WWE | ██████████████████████ 24.3
| Metric | Data |
|---|---|
| Contract extension | 5 years, signed in 2025 |
| Announced | December 6, 2025, after UFC 323 |
| Ari Emanuel pay, 2025 | $67.4 million |
| Mark Shapiro pay, 2025 | $42.6 million |
| Nick Khan pay, 2025 | $24.3 million |
| Median TKO employee pay | $82,428 |
| White’s pay in the filings reviewed | Not itemized |
Source: TKO Group Holdings proxy statement, 2026; TheWrap; Cageside Press; Deadline.
White said after UFC 323 on December 6, 2025 that he signed a five-year extension earlier that year. That keeps him at the UFC through about 2030. TKO’s 2026 proxy statement itemized pay for Ari Emanuel at $67.4 million, Mark Shapiro at $42.6 million and WWE President Nick Khan at $24.3 million. The filings reviewed for this report did not itemize White’s pay, so none is stated here.
The median TKO employee earned $82,428, which puts Emanuel’s pay ratio at 813 to 1. Fighter pay has drawn criticism, with some fighters saying they receive 18% to 20% of revenue. White has said the new media model still has a way to pay fighters based on viewership. Net worth estimates of $500 million to $600 million reflect equity and past sales rather than salary alone.
Who is Dana White FAQ 2026
Who is Dana White?
Dana White is the president and CEO of the UFC, born on July 28, 1969 in Manchester, Connecticut. He has led the UFC since 2001.
How old is Dana White?
Dana White is 57 years old in 2026.
What is Dana White’s net worth in 2026?
Forbes put it at over $600 million in 2025. Other 2026 estimates range from $500 million to $600 million.
Is Dana White the owner of the UFC?
No. TKO Group Holdings owns the UFC, and WME Group holds 63.9% of TKO. White is the UFC president and CEO and held a stake in the 2016 sale.
Did Dana White accept the White House Press Secretary job?
Not publicly as of November 8, 2026. He said he has a meeting with Trump on Monday, November 9. CNN cited a source who said he declined.
What did Trump say about Dana White and the press secretary job?
Trump wrote that White “has been offered the job of Press Secretary of the United States” and asked him to bring UFC fighters as assistants.
What did Dana White say about the press secretary offer?
He said, “I got a lot of jobs already,” and that he has a meeting on Monday.
Who was the last White House Press Secretary?
Katie Zacharia served from October 12 to October 16, 2026. Karoline Leavitt held the job from January 20, 2025 to August 27, 2026.
How much does the White House Press Secretary make?
The job pays $195,200 a year.
How much did the UFC cost when Dana White helped buy it?
The Fertitta brothers and White bought it for $2 million in 2001.
How much was the UFC sold for in 2016?
Reports put the sale to WME-IMG at about $4 billion, with $4.025 billion and $4.2 billion both cited.
What was UFC Freedom 250?
A UFC event held on the White House South Lawn on June 14, 2026, with 14 fighters. About 4,300 guests attended and about 85,000 watched at the Ellipse.
How much is the UFC’s Paramount deal worth?
$7.7 billion over 7 years, an average of $1.1 billion a year, starting in 2026.
What is Zuffa Boxing?
A boxing promotion owned 60% by Sela and 40% by TKO. White promotes it, and its first event was on January 23, 2026.
Is Dana White on Meta’s board?
Yes. Meta elected White to its board in 2025.
How long is Dana White’s UFC contract?
He said he signed a five-year extension in 2025, which keeps him at the UFC through about 2030.
Is Dana White a Republican?
Yes. He is a registered Republican and a longtime Trump supporter.
Who is TKO’s CEO?
Ari Emanuel is the chief executive of TKO Group Holdings.
How many events does the UFC hold each year?
43 annual events stream on Paramount+ under the new deal.
Disclaimer: This research report is compiled from publicly available sources. While reasonable efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, no representation or warranty, express or implied, is given as to the completeness or reliability of the information. We accept no liability for any errors, omissions, losses, or damages of any kind arising from the use of this report.