The UFC and its president Dana White have come under scrutiny on numerous occasions since he was awarded the role of president. The issues in question cover a vast array of subjects, primarily revolving around fighter pay, athlete treatment, and pay-per-view costs.
Despite the standing, the 53-year-old recently came into the limelight for his selfless deed, which helped in making the life of a cancer patient exponentially better.
At UFC 281 in Madison Square Garden, a 35-year-old man named Jason, who has been a cancer patient for seven years and is on the cusp of facing death was awarded seats to watch the fights.
The man has been suffering from rectal cancer for seven years and was preparing for his demise when the offer from White came through. Suffice it to say, he was ecstatic, and without hesitation accepted White’s offer.
Jason took to Reddit to share his experience in a heartwarming post thanking White. Jason stated–
“My tickets were AMAZING. We sat in the Zuffa section in the fourth row. The celebs in our section included Mike Tyson, Halle Berry, Jared Leto, Nelk, Stevewilldoit, Shaun White, Miles Teller(and his wife), Dave Portnoy and two others from Barstool, Jake Gyllenhall, Lupita from Black Panther, and some other people I didn’t recognize. We all had access to a lounge that we could utilize during the event if we wanted to just hang out, eat some amazing food, and grab some drinks. Everything was complimentary. Once again thank you, Dana. The fights were AMAZING and every single one of them lived up to the hype! I was upset Izzy lost but that’s the way the cookie crumbles, I guess. This ended up being the best day of my life. The whole experience was more than anything I could have ever asked for.”
Dana White: Not the first time the UFC boss has displayed a kind gesture!
Jason’s story is not the first that has placed White in a good color, in contrast to how he is generally portrayed in the media and by his competitors.
As Jason would go on to continue, there was another cancer patient named Michael making an appearance at Madison Square Garden. White was initially introduced to the 16-year-old at UFC 279, when the latter’s friends and family put a ‘gofundme’ together, to get him to the UFC.
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White had formed a cordial relationship with the teen there and made it a point to get him out to New York for the star-studded pay-per-view. Michael had met with numerous celebrities, including boxing Hall of Famer Mike Tyson, who ensured that the cancer patient had a good time.
Unfortunately, less than two weeks ago, White, in a post on Instagram, tweeted about Michael’s untimely demise. While it was an extremely unfortunate scenario, White’s actions ensured that the cancer patient relished the last few days on this planet.
Dana White and his character!
Dana White has earned a reputation for himself for being a ruthless and callous personality. While the judgment may be astute, the fact remains that White through his relentless pursuit has helped in entrenching mixed martial arts as a legitimate sport.
And while he has been averse to the idea of enhancing the remuneration for fighters, Dana White has indeed contributed to making the lives of his employees better.
Without White, the UFC and martial arts would not be the prominent sport it is now. And although he has been verbally chastised by several legends of the sport who have gone on to depart from the promotion, there are many athletes who have kind words to speak about him.
Michael Bisping is an attestation to that.
Also read: Jose Aldo Recalls Dana White Saving His Kid’s Life During His Wife’s Pregnancy
