What does it take to lead an MMA promotion? Considered a ‘freak show’ in its early days to turning it into an eye-popping $11.3 billion valued behemoth, UFC CEO Dana White has played an instrumental part in the promotion’s success. White’s relentless drive and hunger emerged as a key catalyst to the UFC’s success. In 2001, when Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta bought the UFC for just $2 million, all they had was the brand name and an old Octagon.

Through his keen business acumen, Dana White turned the promotion into the premier MMA organization in the world. But the man behind the UFC’s meteoric rise didn’t always have it easy. In a recent interview, the UFC head honcho shared that he doesn’t consider what he does to be “hard work” compared to an average American. Interestingly, he also shared a glimpse of how Joe Rogan became the iconic voice of the UFC!  

Dana White reveals a surprising take on his “hard work” behind the scenes for the UFC  

During a recent interview on ‘One Nation’ with Fox News shared on YouTube, Dana White was asked what kept him going when he was working hard to make ends meet in his early days. Having worked as a bellhop, a paver, and more White’s unique insight on the struggle drew the question from the host, “For people that have a safety net, how do you keep the hunger if you don’t need to have that?”

The UFC boss had a simple answer as he explained, “I think, I say this all the time, the big problem with a lot of people in life is they don’t know what they want to do for the rest of their life. I was very lucky in that I always knew what I wanted to do.”

So what did White want to do? He further stated, “Be in the fight business. It wasn’t this, but I wanted to be in the fight business. No matter what it was. And I started my way from the bottom, and I worked my way up to the top.”  While he indicated that he didn’t necessarily imagine himself at the helm of the UFC, he always wanted to be somewhere in the trenches of combat sports. But it wasn’t just about wanting it; it was about working for it.

White started from the bottom, doing the kind of hard labor that leaves your hands calloused and your back sore. “People tell me I work hard because I get to the office at 9 and leave at 9. But you know who works hard? The guys paving roads in Massachusetts, digging ditches, pouring concrete, doing roofing jobs. That’s hard work.” the UFC boss remarked.  

His journey through those tough jobs shaped him, instilling a work ethic that would eventually lead him to the esteemed position he holds in the UFC and the combat sports world today. But how did Joe Rogan become a part of the promotion and what does the UFC head honcho think about his commentary skills?

White hands Rogan his flowers as the ‘GOAT’ combat sports commentator  

Before the UFC came under the umbrella of Zuffa in 2001, Joe Rogan had already worked for the UFC as a backstage and post-fight interviewer in 1997 but had to quit as the money wasn’t enough to cover his costs to make it to the events. However, things changed when Dana White arrived on the scene. During his interview on ‘One Nation’, White shared that, “So, I ended up reaching out to Rogan and you know, we hit it off and that’s it. He said, ‘So wait a minute, you’re telling me I can come to the sport I love the most in the world, have the best seat in the house and talk about it on TV? I’m in.’”

Their partnership didn’t even involve a paycheck, as White revealed that Rogan did the first 13 UFC events for free owing to his passion for the sport. Remarkable, isn’t it? As such, the UFC boss further went on to state, “Now the biggest podcaster in the world and he is the greatest combat sports commentator of all time.” So what’s the secret behind Dana White and the UFC’s success?

It’s a mix of grit, passion, and an unyielding belief in people who share the same values as him, like Joe Rogan. What did you make of his comment on the topic of hard work? Do you agree with Dana White about Rogan being the GOAT combat sports commentator? Why or Why not? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below!