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Despite Insane Multi-Billion Dollar Contrast in Net Worth, Dana White Publicly Challenged the Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban in 2008

Published 11/26/2022, 7:45 AM EST

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There is no doubt that UFC president Dana White is one of the most polarizing entities in the mixed martial art realm. The UFC President has single-handedly contributed the most to the company’s success. However, in the process, he has had his fair share of beef or disagreements with other people as well. 

It’s mostly the UFC fighters who clash their heads against White. This is because they’re unsatisfied with the terms of their contract. Nonetheless, there are other people of prominence who don’t look eye to eye with the UFC Bossman.

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One of the most popular rivalries that White got involved in, was against billionaire entrepreneur Mark Cuban. Moreover, despite their disparity in net worth, the UFC president did not hold back any words while taking a dig at the Shark.

Mark Cuban was once a competitor to the UFC

It all started when the UFC was gaining prominence amongst fans. However, fighter pay was still an issue back then as well. Meanwhile, stars like Tito Ortiz and Randy Couture made big money. However, the majority of the roster was unhappy with their pay. Nonetheless, they couldn’t do much about it since the UFC provided a great platform. 

Dana White Slams “Ridiculous” Bruce Lee Question

To combat the problem, talks of banding together to unionize were being considered. Furthermore, people also hoped that Mark Cuban’s upstart cable channel, HDNet, which had begun featuring MMA as the main sport, could perhaps provide the UFC with some honest competition. 

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Dana White challenged Mark Cuban 

Nevertheless, in response to this, the UFC kingpin came out and blatantly stated that Cuban wouldn’t take over the UFC. He said, “Like Mark Cuban really thinks he’s going to beat me? I eat, sleep, breathe and live mixed martial arts. I love this sh*t. It’s what I do. But look, at the moment, this thing we have is still really pure.”

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He further added, “I love a good fight and, seriously, I really do have secrets and reasons for the things I do. So he’s never going to beat me. Never, ever.”

Looking back now, it’s safe to say that White’s confidence led the UFC to surpass any other organization. Moreover, despite a few MMA promotions still existing, The UFC is still considering the biggest amount all. That too by a long shot.

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How much do you think White has contributed to the UFC’s success? Let us know.

WATCH THIS STORY: Best Trash Talk from Dana White and Tito Ortiz’s Bitter Feud

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Written by:

Afshan Khan

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Afshan Khan is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. After completing his graduation in Mass Communication, Afshan pursued his passion for sports, especially MMA, and transcended it into his profession. He has been following the sport for the past 6 years, and with his nuanced knowledge and his content, wants to attract more fans to the various mixed martial arts promotions around the globe.
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Edited by:

Rohini Kottu