Years Before $4.2 Billion UFC Sale, Dana White Was Forced to Leave Boston by Crime Bosses Over a $2,500 Failure

Dana White is a name that has played a major role in the establishment of the UFC as a global brand. Through sheer passion and hard work, White has created a livelihood for fighters and other people associated with MMA. While many people recognize the UFC President for his success, White has battled a lot of struggles to reach where he is.

White was a proud native of Boston. However, the UFC president had to flee Boston even before the UFC was created. Originally, White used to run a local boxing program in Boston. That is when White got into a tussle with James Bulger.

Bulger was an Irish-American crime boss. In South Boston, Bulger ran the Winter Hill Gang. At the peak of his notorious activities, Bulger was the second most wanted man on the list of the FBI. It was clear Bulger wasn’t someone to be messed with. While White was running his boxing program, he got a visit from Kevin Weeks, who was a right-hand man of Bulger.

While nothing significant happened in that meeting, The UFC President later received a call asking him for money. Because of this, the UFC President had to flee Boston.

Dana White reveals why he had to flee Boston

White received a call that asked him to pay money. At that time, the UFC President did not have any money, but the gang was not willing to listen to White. Eventually, he had to flee Boston.

Speaking of the incident, White said, “I was sitting in my apartment and I got a phone call. They basically told me, ‘we want the money.’ I told them I didn’t have the money, it was $2,500.

“That was like $25,000 to me in those days! They said, ‘get it from your girlfriend or get it from somebody.’ I had until tomorrow, which was a Sunday, I thought nothing good was going to happen! So literally, that day, I bought a plane ticket and came back to Vegas.” 

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Even though White found himself in trouble, he rose above it all and focused on the sport of mixed martial arts. Through his purchase of the UFC, White created history and built one of the most successful brands globally. He, later on, sold the UFC for $4,2 billion but was reinstated as the president of the company.

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