UFC CEO Dana White is renowned for his business acumen. A drive that has seen him take the UFC from a sport once maligned as ‘human cockfighting’ to the premier MMA organization in the world. However, a softer side to the UFC boss stands in stark contrast to his brash public persona.

In a recent conversation with Randall Kaplan on the ‘In Seach of Excellence’ podcast, White got emotional while sharing a story of him helping to save a child’s life. According to the UFC head honcho, a random internet browsing session led to the plight of a Muay Thai coach that tugged on his heartstrings and caused him to pull out all the stops to come to the aid of a little girl in Thailand!

White revealed, “And his daughter was dying because she needed some type of heart surgery and she was gonna die in the next several days, if she didn’t get the money. And was gonna be $50,000 and the guy was like, ‘Dana White, you need to f*kng put this money up right now, donate it to her, you f*king bet this much playing blackjack, blah, blah, blah, blah’, basically coming at me like that.”

The story dates back to 2010, as such, White might have misremembered the actual condition because according to a story by MMAJunkie, the little girl named Tuptim Jadnooleum, daughter of “Kru Nai” Rattanachai, a coach at Tiger Muay Thai gym in Phuket, needed an urgent liver transplant.

Nevertheless, the UFC boss further revealed that the post contained a blunt call-out of White by highlighting his well-known gambling expenditures. But according to White, “…this guy was talking to me like the way I talk and he isn’t wrong. And I was like no, this dude f**king absolutely right. I’m supposed to do this, it was f**king weird, whatever the reason was.”

Upon verifying the story’s authenticity, White immediately sent the $50,000 to the family and the operation was successful. He further stated, “When you go into their gym, there’s this massive picture of me, in there and this big picture of me over her bed, like I’m her guardian angel. And I pay for her schooling and I pay for all of her medical stuff and she’s like… yeah… I don’t like talking about a lot of this stuff”

White also met young Tuptim on a visit to Thailand that was shared in a video by Mike Swick on his YouTube channel and even invited the girl and her family to a UFC show in Las Vegas.  This act of generosity underscores the multifaceted nature of White’s character, blending his relentless drive in business with a heartfelt dedication to making a difference, as he has never backed away from trying to help wherever he can!

Dana White stepped up during 2023 Hawaii wildfires 

In 2023, during the Hawaii wildfires that claimed nearly 100 lives and raged through Maui in a path of destruction, UFC CEO Dana White stepped up with a staggering $1 million donation towards the relief efforts. He also shared that the UFC created a T-shirt for the state and the proceeds from its sales would be spent towards the relief efforts in Maui.

White stated in an Instagram video, “My heart goes out to all of you who have suffered so much loss. But I want all of you to know you’re not alone. The Hawaii people embody the warrior spirit like no one else, and we stand with you.”

Overall, while Dana White has drawn criticisms for his approach to the UFC’s operation in light of fighter pay and other issues, his actions behind the scenes reveal a leader who deeply cares about making a positive impact. Whether through saving a child’s life or supporting communities in crisis, White’s legacy is one of both relentless ambition and profound compassion, blending the cutthroat world of MMA with moments of genuine humanity.