Early Life and Education of Dana White: A Complete Timeline

An overview of the childhood and early education of Dana White, highlighting the experiences that shaped the journey.

Dana White is an American businessman, best known as the CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). His leadership has been crucial to the UFC's global success in mixed martial arts, contributing to his estimated net worth of $500 million as of 2019. Beyond the UFC, White also owns Power Slap, a slap fighting promotion launched in 2022, and, in 2025, became a board member for Meta Platforms.

Sections (3)

Full Timeline Early Life & Education Career & Achievements

July 28, 1969: Dana White's Birth

On July 28, 1969, Dana Frederick White Jr. was born. He later became a prominent American businessman, known as the CEO and president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC).

Others born on this day/year

1987: Graduation from Hermon High School

In 1987, Dana White graduated from Hermon High School. Following graduation he enrolled in college, but dropped out of both Quincy College and UMass Boston after one semester each.

1996: Marriage to Anne Stella

In 1996, Dana White married his wife, Anne (née Stella).

1998: Started Training Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu

In 1998, Dana White began training Brazilian jiu-jitsu, which he stated had a positive impact on him and made him realize the importance of ground skills in fighting situations.

2006: Purchase of Mansion

In 2006, Dana White bought a mansion in Pine Island Court, Las Vegas, from Frank Fertitta III for $1.95 million.

2007: Sports Bet on Jermain Taylor

In 2007, Dana White placed a $1 million bet on Jermain Taylor to win against Kelly Pavlik. Taylor lost the bout, which White said "ruined" his trip.

2010: Donation for liver transplant

In 2010, Dana White donated $50,000 for a liver transplant for Tuptim Jadnooleum, the daughter of "Kru Nai" Rattanachai, who was one of the instructors for Tiger Muay Thai and MMA in Phuket, Thailand.

2011: Donation to former high school

In 2011, Dana White donated $100,000 to his former high school to fund renovations to their athletic facilities.

May 2012: Diagnosis of Ménière's Disease

In May 2012, Dana White revealed he was diagnosed with Ménière's disease. As a result, he missed his first UFC card in 11 years, the UFC on Fuel TV 3: Korean Zombie vs. Poirier event.

2013: Orthokine Treatment

In 2013, Dana White underwent Orthokine treatment for Ménière's disease, which he credited with greatly reducing his symptoms.

October 2016: Mansion Purchases

In October 2016, Dana White bought three additional mansions in Pine Island Court, Las Vegas.

2016: Endorsement of Donald Trump

In 2016, Dana White spoke at the Republican National Convention in Cleveland, Ohio, and endorsed Republican nominee Donald Trump, citing Trump's early support for the UFC.

June 2017: Mansion Purchases

In June 2017, Dana White bought three additional mansions in Pine Island Court, Las Vegas.

2017: Donation to Las Vegas shooting victims

In 2017, Dana White donated $1 million to the victims of the Las Vegas shooting.

February 5, 2018: Pawn Stars Appearance

On February 5, 2018, Dana White appeared on History Channel's Pawn Stars and purchased around $60,000 worth of katana swords.

August 2019: Estimated Net Worth

In August 2019, Dana White's net worth was estimated to be $500 million, highlighting his financial success.

2019: Donation to The Good Fight Foundation

Following UFC 242 in 2019, Khabib Nurmagomedov raised $100,000 for Dustin Poirier's charity, The Good Fight Foundation, and Dana White matched the contribution with a $100,000 donation to the same charity.

February 2020: Donation to America First Action

In February 2020, Dana White donated $1 million to America First Action, a super political action committee supporting Donald Trump's re-election bid.

April 2020: Involvement in Economic Rebuilding

In April 2020, Dana White joined a group of industry leaders to assist the United States in rebuilding its economy impacted by the coronavirus pandemic.

2020: Failed Attempt to Bring Brady and Gronkowski to Raiders

In 2020, Dana White negotiated a deal to bring Tom Brady and Rob Gronkowski to the Las Vegas Raiders, but the deal was nixed by Jon Gruden, and they instead signed with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

2021: Gambling Habits

In 2021, Dana White mentioned that the biggest sports bet he had ever placed was in 2007, wagering $1 million on Jermain Taylor to beat Kelly Pavlik.

2022: Power Slap Founding

In 2022, Dana White founded Power Slap, a slap fighting promotion, adding another venture to his portfolio.

2022: Health Diagnosis and Keto Diet

In 2022, Dana White was diagnosed with high triglyceride levels and other health issues, and was told he had 10.4 years to live if he didn't change his lifestyle. He then adopted a keto diet prescribed by Gary Brecka, which he says improved his health.

2022: Disclosure of Failed Raiders Deal

In a 2022 interview alongside Rob Gronkowski, Dana White disclosed that he had worked to negotiate a deal which would have brought Tom Brady and Gronkowski to the Las Vegas Raiders in 2020.

2022: Physical altercation with wife

On New Year's Eve in 2022, Dana White and his wife Anne were filmed engaging in a physical altercation at a nightclub in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Both apologized and admitted to excessive alcohol consumption. The UFC did not respond to the incident. The California Legislative Women's Caucus requested that Ari Emanuel, CEO of Endeavor, the company that owns the UFC, remove White from his role in the UFC following the 2022 incident.

March 2024: High-Stakes Baccarat at Caesars Palace

In March 2024, Dana White stated he plays high-stakes baccarat, wagering up to $350,000 per hand at Caesars Palace. He also claimed to have won $26 million there from January to March 2024, after losing $8 million in one night.

2024: Endorsement of Donald Trump at RNC

In 2024, Dana White again endorsed Donald Trump and introduced him at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

2024: Donation for Trump assassination attempt victims

In 2024, Dana White donated $50,000 to support the victims affected by the attempted assassination of former president Donald J. Trump during a rally on July 13 in Butler, Pennsylvania.