What The F**k Is Dana White Fighting For?

The way things are going, Dana White, president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, may soon be hailed as the greatest sports promoter ever, of all time, bigger even than boxing's Don King, bigger even than pro wrestling's Vince McMahon.

He's taken mixed martial arts, a sport that was essentially moribund seven years ago — the bare-knuckle, anything-goes, kick-'em-in-the-kernels fights were outlawed in 36 states — and turned it into a moneymaking, crowd-frazzling sensation, a new heavyweight pay-per-view box-office champ. He accomplished this by using various business-savvy stratagems and dodges, but in a sense the inside mechanics are beside the point. How he did it really is by the force of his own multifaceted personality. At 38, he is profane, charming, ambitious, cunning, controlling, a whole lot of fun to hang around with, open like a book, closed like a fist. In fighters and fans, he inspires loyalty and fear, admiration and disgust. He has a shaved head. He wears skintight T-shirts. He looks badass, he talks badass, he is badass. In all respects, he has been the exact right guy to bring the UFC back from the dead.

This evening, White is wheeling his silver Range Rover around Las Vegas, where the UFC maintains its headquarters, and saying a few things about his role in the sport's phenomenal turnaround. "I'm not your typical head of a sports league," he says. "I say exactly how I feel. I don't hide it. I don't lie. And I swear a lot. Some people think I'm a classless moron. Other people think I'm this monster that screws my fighters over. And other people like me. You can't make everybody happy. But you gotta understand too, in this business, I'm the promoter. My role is I'm always gonna be the fucking bad guy. No matter what I do. Or how many great things I do for people. Or how many fighters I make millionaires. Because if you're a fight promoter, and if you make a fucking dollar, you're a scumbag. You shouldn't get that money, the fighters should." He sighs, deeply. "I'm the bad guy. Always going to be the bad guy. I get it. I accept that role. I do the best I can."