Ali Akbar Rosady
UFC President Dana White has staunchly refuted claims that a phenomenon dubbed "Dana White privilege" exists within the mixed martial arts promotion, where certain fighters allegedly receive preferential treatment. White attributes any perceived advantages to a strategic approach of identifying and developing athletes with genuine superstar potential, rather than outright favoritism.
The concept of "Dana White privilege" gained significant traction in 2022 when veteran lightweight contender Tony Ferguson publicly accused his upcoming opponent, Michael Chandler, of benefiting from it. Ferguson, known for his relentless, unorthodox fighting style and a grueling ascent through the lightweight ranks, voiced his frustration, suggesting Chandler had been granted a significant promotional push and even a title shot after securing only one victory in the UFC.
Ferguson’s journey to the top of the 155-pound division was marked by considerable adversity and a remarkable 12-fight winning streak, which included capturing the interim lightweight championship at UFC 216 in 2017. Despite his prolonged dominance and fan-favorite status, an undisputed title shot eluded him due to various circumstances, including injuries and fight cancellations. His comments regarding Chandler, who made a high-profile UFC debut in January 2021 with a spectacular first-round knockout of Dan Hooker and was subsequently granted a title fight against then-champion Charles Oliveira just four months later, resonated with a segment of the fighting community that felt the system sometimes overlooked long-serving, hard-grinding contenders in favor of new, marketable talent.
Since Ferguson’s initial remarks, the debate surrounding "Dana White privilege" has expanded, with more fighters and fans discussing the perceived disparity in opportunities, fight scheduling, and placement on high-profile cards. The underlying sentiment suggests that some athletes, by virtue of their marketability, background, or perceived star quality, are fast-tracked or given more advantageous positions compared to others who might have earned their way through a more traditional, merit-based ranking system.
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Speaking on the Triggernometry podcast, White unequivocally denied any deliberate favoritism, framing his decisions as essential elements of effective fight promotion. "Here’s the stupidity in ‘Dana White privilege’ – when you bring guys in, there’s people that you think could possibly become world champions," White explained. "Everybody wants to become a world champion. Well, there’s people that you think have a much better chance than others do. So, you prop these people up and you put them in positions and see what they’re capable of doing. That’s called fight promotion."
White cited several prominent examples to illustrate his point, highlighting fighters whose careers, he argues, were successfully cultivated through strategic promotion. "Conor McGregor is a guy that was accused of having ‘Dana White privilege.’ Arguably one of the biggest superstars in sports, let alone the UFC," White remarked. McGregor, signed by the UFC in 2013, experienced a meteoric rise, capturing the UFC Featherweight Championship in 2015 and becoming the first simultaneous two-division champion (featherweight and lightweight) in 2016. His unparalleled charisma, electrifying knockout power, and ability to generate massive pay-per-view numbers were undeniably a boon for the promotion, aligning perfectly with White’s vision of cultivating global superstars.
Another example offered by White was Ronda Rousey. "Ronda Rousey when I brought her in, ‘Dana White privilege.’ Huge superstar for us and literally launched female fighting for us." Rousey, an Olympic bronze medalist in judo, was instrumental in the UFC’s decision to introduce a women’s division. Her dominant, undefeated run as Strikeforce Women’s Bantamweight Champion led to her signing with the UFC in 2012, where she became the inaugural UFC Women’s Bantamweight Champion. She main evented UFC 157 in February 2013, marking the first time a female bout headlined a UFC pay-per-view. Rousey’s crossover appeal and widespread media attention undeniably cemented women’s MMA as a viable and popular segment within the sport.
More recently, the spotlight has fallen on prospect Bo Nickal, a highly decorated collegiate wrestler and multiple NCAA Division I champion, who has been rapidly elevated within the UFC since earning his contract on Dana White’s Contender Series. Nickal, currently undefeated in his professional mixed martial arts career, quickly amassed a significant following due to his exceptional wrestling pedigree and explosive finishes.
The discussion surrounding Nickal’s perceived accelerated push intensified in the lead-up to UFC 302, held on June 1, 2024. Initially, Nickal’s fight against Rodolfo Vieira was slated for the main pay-per-view card. This decision drew immediate criticism from fans and media, particularly because two highly-ranked lightweight contenders, Beneil Dariush (then ranked #7) and Benoit Saint Denis (then #11), were originally scheduled for a preliminary card slot. Dariush, with a professional record of 22-6-1, had been a long-standing top contender, recently coming off a loss to Arman Tsarukyan but previously holding an impressive eight-fight win streak. Saint Denis, at 13-2-0, had also recently suffered a loss to Dustin Poirier but had built a formidable reputation as an exciting finisher.
The public outcry questioned why an unranked prospect like Nickal, albeit a promising one, would receive a coveted pay-per-view main card placement over established, top-tier fighters actively vying for title contention. The perceived imbalance fueled renewed discussions about "Dana White privilege." In response to the backlash, the UFC later revealed a revised bout order for UFC 302, promoting the Dariush vs. Saint Denis lightweight clash to the main card and moving Nickal vs. Vieira to headline the preliminary card. This adjustment, while not directly addressed by White as a concession, demonstrated the UFC’s responsiveness to fan sentiment regarding card structure.
White maintains that all decisions, whether concerning fight matchups or card placement, ultimately boil down to what is deemed best for the UFC as a business entity. The promotion, heavily reliant on generating pay-per-view buys and cultivating star power, naturally invests in athletes who possess both fighting prowess and significant marketability. This strategy, according to White, is not about favoring individuals but about maximizing the organization’s reach and profitability.
Ultimately, White suggests that those who complain about "Dana White privilege" are often deflecting responsibility for their own career trajectories. "Anybody that comes with ‘Dana White privilege’ or all these other things that happen, you have a group of people, not just in UFC and fighting but in life, that if they don’t make it and they don’t get to where they thought they could, it’s never their f*cking fault," White stated. "It’s somebody else’s fault. I didn’t have the ‘Dana White privilege,’ and I didn’t have this, and I didn’t have that and those type of people are always going to exist."
This perspective underscores White’s belief in individual accountability within the cutthroat world of professional fighting. While the debate between meritocracy and marketability will likely continue to be a recurring theme in the UFC, White’s stance remains firm: the promotion’s strategic decisions are geared towards identifying and elevating the sport’s biggest potential stars, a fundamental aspect of his role as a fight promoter.
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