‘Mount Rushmore’ is a place for legends to stand apart, and in the world of MMA, there is arguably no bigger debate than who should be up there. But who does Dana White see as the faces that shaped the UFC’s landscape and made it into the juggernaut that it is today? In his time as the UFC’s boss, White has seen countless fighters rise and fall, but only a few have managed to etch their names in the history books and achieve ‘legend’ status.

Answering a question posed by ESPN, White caused a frenzy in the MMA world when he announced the 4-names he believes changed the mixed martial arts game. Jon Jones, White’s P4P no.1 fighter’s addition came as no surprise. But, Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey also made the cut along with Georges St-Pierre. So, is there more to White’s choices than just wins and losses?

Dana White reveals why he picked Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey above other dominant champions  

During the recent DWCS (Dana White Contender Series) post-fight press conference, Dana White was asked about his “methodology” behind picking the 4 names for his ‘Mount Rushmore’. The reason? Well, fans will often debate who’s a better fighter than the other.

But the UFC boss acknowledged the inevitable debates that his choices would spark. As such, he explained, “…if you look at Ronda Rousey, which I’m sure everybody goes crazy, ‘yeah, Ronda Rousey’, women aren’t fighting here. The knockout that happened last weekend, doesn’t happen without Ronda Rousey. Ronda Rousey opened the door for all women and became a huge superstar for us and the biggest superstar in the history of female fighting.”

According to him, Ronda Rousey didn’t just break barriers—she obliterated them, putting women’s MMA on the map and becoming one of the sport’s biggest superstars in the process. Yet, Conor McGregor remains the name that makes people stop and listen.

White’s reasoning for including him was clear as he stated, “Conor McGregor took this sport to another level when he became not only the biggest star in the sport but one of the biggest star in ALL of sports. You had NFL and NBA and soccer players mimicking Conor McGregor during the games.”

In fact, the sport has never seen anything like the rise of ‘The Notorious’ before and it’s hard to imagine anyone else reaching the same heights as a prime McGregor. What about Jon Jones? White, who has been actively campaigning for ‘Bones’s P4P status in recent times shared that, “If you guys want to get into the Jon Jones sh—, we can get into that.”

While he didn’t delve further, the UFC boss did share that his selections were about more than just titles. It’s about how fighters changed the business and left a lasting mark on the UFC. What’s interesting to note is that his 2024 ‘Mount Rushmore’ looks very different than what he laid out in 2020!

A surprising difference between names in White’s 2020 and 2024 ‘Mount Rushmore’ lists

Back in 2020, Dana White was a guest on ‘The Schmozone Podcast’ where he was asked about the 4 names for his ‘Mount Rushmore’. But surprisingly, Conor McGregor and Ronda Rousey were both absent from his list! White had shared, “If you’re talking about a Mount Rushmore where the heads are carved in stone forever, you have to go Royce Gracie. No-brainer, have to do that. Amanda Nunes. Has to be Amanda Nunes, greatest female fighter ever.”

Jon Jones was still present as the UFC boss proclaimed, “the guy’s never been beat” and filled out the last spot on his list with legend, Chuck Liddell. His reason? White explained, “Chuck became a massive star, was the highest paid guy in the company at the time and all that stuff.”

So, it’s clear that Dana White’s Mount Rushmore of MMA has evolved over the years, reflecting both the changing landscape of the sport and his perspective. Back in 2020, his picks leaned heavily on early pioneers and dominant champions. Fast forward to 2024, and White’s selections show a shift toward fighters who not only conquered their divisions but also changed the game outside of it. 

The debate over the true MMA Mount Rushmore will continue amongst the fans, but one thing is certain: Dana White’s evolving list proves that greatness in MMA is more than just fighting—it’s about changing the game. Who would you pick as the 4-names to carve into stone to honor their greatness in the sport of MMA? Let us know in the comments below!