Vice TV’s ‘Dark Side of the Cage’ returns Wednesday with an episode that details UFC head honcho Dana White and former owner Lorenzo Fertitta’s attempts to change Spike TV’s mind about not broadcasting MMA fights. In the episode, fans can see Spike TV’s Kevin Kay recalling a conversation with White, where the UFC boss also made him a promise that he has yet to fulfill. But what is the promise?

According to Spike TV’s Kevin Kay, Dana White convinced him to broadcast UFC by promising to make the promotion bigger than the NFL. But why? Well, that’s because the executives were on the fence about the idea of men beating each other to a pulp inside a cage. So, the head honcho assured them during the negotiations that they could bet on him and his promotion.

Kay revealed on the ‘Dark Side of the Cage,’ “I was like, I can’t sell it. It’s a bloody canvas inside of a steel cage, with people beating the living daylights out of each other. Executives above me, they would watch it and go like, ‘Uh, are we going to k*ll somebody here?’ So, the naysayers were everywhere. Nobody wanted to do it. Dana got up and said, You know, ‘you’re out of your mind; this is going to be the biggest thing. It’s gonna be…’ I remember the quote, ‘It’s gonna be bigger than the NFL.’ And I was like, ‘Wow, that’s b*llsy.’ However, it is worth noting that while Dana White managed to make UFC one of the biggest sports promotions in the world, it failed to beat the NFL.

However, that can change with the company’s potential future deal with Netflix. After its $1.5 billion deal with ESPN ends, the UFC is reportedly planning to follow the WWE and grab a deal with the streaming giants. However, all this can only take place after the UFC’s current partnership with ESPN comes to an end in 2025. As for the NFL, the head honcho previously stated that he would like to own a franchise in the league. So, will he do it anytime soon?

UFC boss Dana White’s plan for NFL ownership

For years, Dana White fantasized about owning an NFL team. So much so that he had often hinted at a potential future in the league. However, his latest comments suggest that his priorities have shifted. During a recent episode of the Pardon My Take podcast, Dan Katz asked the UFC head honcho if he still wanted to be an NFL owner. Given his previous excitement, many expected him to be interested in making the switch. His reaction, however, was far from expected.

The UFC boss stated, “Nah. I’m not really into that. I like finding sports that nobody else believes in.” But it is worth noting that when White spoke to TMZ in 2019, he had very different beliefs. When asked if Fertitta had plans to acquire an NFL team, White had nothing but admiration for his former associates. “They own casinos; they’re incredible owners; they own the UFC; they’re incredible owners. They’ll be amazing NFL owners”.  

When the talk turned to his own potential involvement, White made it obvious that he wanted to be a part of the business. “I’m very interested. Yes, I predict that the Fertitta brothers will own an NFL team, and me and the Fertitta brothers will be in business again someday.” Well, it looks like the NFL will have to wait before the UFC boss bids for ownership. But what do you think? Will Dana White find success if he owns an NFL franchise? Let us know in the comments.