Just thought I would start a new thread? What is your opinion of him? Business wise I think he has done great, but I wish he was a little more "behind the scenes" He just kind of reminds me of Vince McMahon (sp?) from the WWE. He really seems to enjoy the limelight, a little too much in my opinion. Any thoughts?
For better or worse he saved the UFC and most likely MMA competition. The question is will he now run it in to the ground and destroy it.
I really don't mind so much how he comes across in things like "The Ultimate Fighter" where he's talking to the fighters as if he was their coach, or like (as he actually IS) a boss or shift manager who's trying to motivate his people or reprimand them for poor performances. However, when he's at press conferences and talking about Fedor's "crazy Russian" management or how he "bitch-slapped" Couture's manager, that's when I think he mis-steps. He's got to separate the board room from the locker room. I think he's got the natural charisma to really apeal to a lot of people in the mainstream, but nobody's gonna take him seriously if he keeps talking like he's giving a pro-wrestling interview. Look at McMahon; nobody outside of the wrestling industry takes the guy seriously. That could be Dana White's place if he's not careful.
He's ruthless, ask Andy and Dave of Cage Rage or Randy. He can shake your hand and stiff you simultaneously !!! Jaae.
Thats exactly how I feel, he seems to be a legend in his own mind. But in the TUF, he always seems to act (at least in my opinion) like he has been there and done that, but he was only a boxer with only a few fights (at least I think so). And that whole thing with Tito, just reminded me of when Vince was going at it with Stone Cold Steve Austin.
Well he's a multi-millionaire many, many times over. Buying the UFC when he owned a few gyms and now its so huge worldwide. Since he controls who fights and signs the paychecks I suppose he can say and do whatever he wants regarding the UFC. Outside of that who really cares.
All I know is that he gives the fans what they want. I saw him at UFC 80 taking loads of time shaking hands and getting photos done. He didn't have to do that and many others wouldn't have.
Not a big fan. There are times I think he's great, and there are times I see him as nothing more than a wannabe Trump on "The Apprentice".
He is good at marketing, I have nothing against him! I would think from my perspective it would be easier to run the organization being less seen I would think.
Best quote on Dana I have heard. I do think he has done wonders for MMA, especially for recognition as a legitimate sport. He also is very good at delivering good matches. But sometimes he does "run at the mouth" like when he was talking about Fedor after he didn't sign him saying he wouldn't even rank him in the top 10 heavyweights. So to each his own, I just wish he wasn't so vocal sometimes, I prefer to let the atheletes talk, not the owners, but that's only my opinion.
If he didn't run at the mouth he'd be in the wrong sport. I think Dana has brought the sport out of the stoneage. He is an excellent marketer and businessman. Give the guy his day, he's doing a good job. Makes time for the people as well. Beyond that he may be a jerk, but so are loads of atheletes.
I think he does a good job on TUF in that he's charismatic enough that you can want to watch him, and he clearly does a pretty good job in the boardroom behind the scenes, but I really want a fighter to lay the unholy smackdown on him one day for some of the tough-guy crap he comes out with ("Every time I speak to Dan Henderson I want to head-butt him," "These Russians are crazy," "Fedor's not a top-10 heavyweight," "No one gives a *poop* about Josh Barnett" being some of my favourites - the latter being almost Bush-level daftness) and his unnecessary overuse of the F-bomb. I'd also like to see him get a clue about how TUF shouldn't be a cheap way to hype a main event or title fight; putting an important fight and sometimes a whole division on the shelf for six months is just STUPID!
Unfortunetly, being a savvy business man is not exclusive of being a complete ass; especially in the enterainment world. Dana White has done much to build, popularize and legitimize the sport of MMA. However, he so often goes over the top with his public persona that it's turning more and more people off (see sever's post for examples). I think he'd be well advised to either tone down the rhetoric, or withdrawl from the limelite a bit. Don't expect either of those things to happen though, I just don't think it's in him.
Love Dana or hate him... in the fight promotion business it often takes that type of personality (no matter how abrasive) to make things happen. In fact it's not just the fight world... many types of sales jobs and trading have the same mentality. They attract the same personality type. Some of the fight promoters I've worked with are stellar at nothing other than hyping something up... figuring out how to convince people to put up investment money and... keeping track of all the BS they've spouted to be able to come out on top. A skill indeed. I actually think Dana is one of the more tame examples in the game.... he just happens to be relatively high profile to the average fan.
