Dana Frederick White Jr. (born July 28, 1969) is an American businessman best known as the president and chief executive officer of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the world's premier mixed martial arts (MMA) promotion. Widely credited with transforming MMA from a marginalized, misunderstood discipline into a multi-billion-dollar global sports empire, White has served as the public face and primary architect of the organization's exponential growth since the early 21st century. Born in Manchester, Connecticut, White spent his childhood in Ware, Massachusetts, and Las Vegas, Nevada. He attended Bishop Gorman High School in Las Vegas before spending his senior year in Levant, Maine, where he graduated from Hermon High School in 1987. His pursuit of higher education was brief; he enrolled at Quincy College and the University of Massachusetts Boston but left during his first semester at each institution. In his early adulthood, White worked various jobs, including laying asphalt and serving as a hotel bellhop in Boston, while developing a deep interest in combat sports. He eventually trained in boxing and opened a gym, later finding success as a manager for notable mixed martial artists, including Chuck Liddell and Tito Ortiz. White’s trajectory shifted significantly in 2001 when he learned that the UFC, then struggling with financial instability and regulatory hurdles, was facing potential collapse. Recognizing the sport’s untapped potential, White persuaded his childhood friends, Lorenzo and Frank Fertitta, to acquire the organization for $2 million. The acquisition led to the formation of Zuffa, LLC, with White appointed as president. Under his leadership, the UFC focused on sanitizing the sport's image, implementing unified rules, and securing broadcasting deals to reach a wider audience. A pivotal milestone occurred in 2005 with the launch of the reality television series *The Ultimate Fighter*, which served as a breakout vehicle for the sport and elevated the UFC to mainstream prominence. Over the following decades, White steered the UFC through periods of intense expansion, international market penetration, and the acquisition of rival promotions. In 2016, the organization was sold to a consortium led by WME-IMG (later Endeavor) for approximately $4 billion. White remained the central executive figure and transitioned to the role of CEO in 2023 following the UFC’s merger with World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) to form TKO Group Holdings. Beyond his work with the UFC, White has expanded his entrepreneurial footprint. In 2022, he founded Power Slap, a slap-fighting promotion. In 2025, he was appointed to the board of directors for Meta Platforms. White is also recognized for his vocal political stances and his longstanding, public alliance with Donald Trump. Throughout his career, White has been a polarizing but undeniably influential figure, praised for his promotional acumen and risk-taking leadership style, while also facing scrutiny regarding fighter compensation, antitrust litigation, and his brash management demeanor. Despite these controversies, his role in legitimizing mixed martial arts remains a defining aspect of his professional legacy. He resides in Nevada and is married to Anne Stella, with whom he has three children.