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“I do a lot of things for a lot of people that I don’t necessarily talk about.” That’s Dana White in 2022, addressing DWCS alumnus Joe Pyfer’s homelessness situation amid criticism over fighter pay and welfare. The UFC boss has long been in the philanthropic housing sector, just not in the way you might expect. While some wealthy moguls donate to housing charities, White prefers a more explosive approach. Case in point? He bought up every house on the street where his grandparents lived in Levant, Maine.
This act was a result of his fond memories visiting the place with his cousins every year as a child. “My time up there meant so much to me and I loved the place so much that I bought the whole street that my grandmother and grandfather lived on.” Moreover, the head honcho then donated these houses to the local fire department for their training exercises. For the unversed, White graduated from Hermon High School in 1987. Moreover, his larger-than-life persona and his real estate moves are pretty famous.
“I went house to house, knocked on everyone’s door, and asked if they would sell me their house,” White told the Bangor Daily News. Once acquired, the properties became kindling for the Levant Fire Department. Lieutenant Wyatt Morrison confirmed that they had set at least two of White’s houses ablaze in the past decade. Sentimental? Maybe. Practical? Definitely. Over the years, the UFC CEO has turned his childhood stomping grounds into his own personal empire.
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White revealed that he owns nine properties on Phillips Road in Levant, totaling 60 acres, which he has combined into one massive estate. In addition, he owns 30 acres on Kenduskeag Road and 3 acres on Black Stream Drive in Levant. “I wanted my kids to experience the place and the people, and that’s why I invested so much in Maine,” White shared. “I continue to buy more and more property up there, and I will until the day I die.”
White also mentioned that he spends every Fourth of July in Levant with his family, often inviting friends to visit during the summer. Maine has become a favorite vacation spot for White’s circle, with its serene beauty and welcoming atmosphere. “I will go there every summer until I physically can’t go there anymore,” White stated. “When I want to get away from everything, I go to Maine. Everything I love is in Maine.”
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KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI – APRIL 15: Dana White addresses the media after UFC Fight Night Kansas City on April 15, 2023, at T-Mobile Center in Kansas City, Missouri. (Photo by Matt Davies/PxImages/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)
But White’s generosity extends far beyond burning down homes. His love for Maine runs deep, and so does his checkbook. In 2011, he shelled out $100,000 to Hermon High School to upgrade its athletic complex, funding a new scoreboard, seating, and other facility enhancements. And despite knowing it wasn’t a financially sound move for the UFC, he brought a Fight Night card to the Cross Insurance Center, Maine in 2014, just to give his home state a piece of the action. His willingness to step in and help extends beyond nostalgia.
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When else has the ruthless, money-minting Dana White gone soft?
The UFC boss’ generosity isn’t just reserved for strangers, his own fighters have benefited too. When Khabib Nurmagomedov donated $100,000 to Dustin Poirier’s Good Fight Foundation in 2019 after their UFC 242 title bout, White matched the contribution. And let’s not forget that White himself addressed Joe Pyfer’s struggles, saying, “Joe Pyfer told me he was about to be homeless. So, that ain’t gonna happen,” as he stepped in to help with his rent.
But White’s willingness to step in doesn’t stop there. In 2017, after the tragic Las Vegas shooting, he pledged $1 million to support victims’ families. And when a desperate father publicly called him out to fund his daughter’s life-saving heart surgery, White wasted no time, wiring over $50,000. “I was like, no, this dude’s absolutely right,” he recalled. “I’m supposed to do this.”
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And yet, that was just the tip of the iceberg. When one of the instructors at Tiger Muay Thai needed $50,000 for his daughter’s liver transplant, White stepped in once again. Then in 2020, amid the chaos of the pandemic, he launched the UF-SEA T-shirt campaign to raise funds for The Woodruff Family Foundation.
Despite the millions, the influence, and the notoriety, White still insists Maine is where his heart is. And while his methods may be a little unconventional, ‘who else buys houses just to burn them?’ His impact is undeniable. So, is Dana White an unsung hero of real estate philanthropy, or just a guy who likes to own and incinerate things? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!
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Is Dana White a real estate hero or just a guy with a flair for the dramatic?
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