UFC president Dana White has transformed the MMA promotion into one of the leading sports organizations in the world. Over the years, he has helped nurture many upcoming fighters who have played a big role in the rise of the UFC. One of those stars was the first UFC double division champion Conor McGregor, who was struggling financially before his stint at the UFC. White played a pivotal role in his career by providing ‘The Notorious’ opportunities along the way. Their comradery was visible from their appearance on screen and during the promotion of their fight. However, the Irishman in his first-ever interview with ESPN in 2014 disclosed his first meeting with the $500 million worth UFC head. He mentioned how White baffled him with a weird reaction in the same interaction.
The MMA community is also well aware of the formidable bond between Conor McGregor and Dana White. However, the initial encounter between an impoverished McGregor and White remained relatively unknown. Thus, in those early days, few were privy to the circumstances of their first interaction.
Conor McGregor revealed the initial conversation with Dana White
During a candid interview with ESPN before his UFC 178 fight against Dustin Poirier, ‘The Notorious’ shed light on his initial encounter with Dana White, revealing a surprising turn of events.
In their first meeting, young and aspiring McGregor, then a 16-year-old fan attending a UFC event held in 2009, left White momentarily speechless with his audacious question. The Irishman fearlessly yelled at the UFC head honcho, inquiring about the contents of his pockets. McGregor said:
“When I was 16 years old, I was at my first UFC event as a fan. After the event, Dana stays and takes pictures with the fans. I ran down to the railings and I seen Dana and I was like, ‘Dana, Dana. He looked at me… ‘How much money have you got in your pocket right now this second?’ He looked at me with like a weird face and then just kind of walked off.” (Quotes taken from 4:25 onwards. Check the video by clicking on the link mentioned above.)
‘Mystic Mac’ later went on to reveal that White’s reaction didn’t please him. However, he did not take it seriously and continued to work towards his dream.
The Notorious’ went on to join the UFC and his journey took a remarkable turn. He emerged as one of the industry’s biggest stars, amassing an extraordinary net worth of around $200 million. Thus, many fans wonder what was his biggest payday in the UFC.
McGregor’s biggest payday in UFC
It is no secret that Conor McGregor is one of the biggest cash cows of the promotion. The Irishman has earned around $100 million from his MMA career so far. Surprisingly, his largest payday in the UFC came against former UFC lightweight champion Khabib Nurmagomedov at UFC 229.
As per a report from CBS Sport, ‘The Notorious’ revealed that despite losing, he estimated around $50 million in earnings from his infamous fight against ‘The Eagle’. Remarkably, McGregor earned substantial sums even in defeat, as exemplified by his lucrative $23 million earnings from his loss to Dustin Poirier at UFC 264.
Since the UFC purse also includes a cut of the PPV sale, McGregor’s earning shows how much the fans are invested whenever the Irishman steps inside the octagon. Thus, it is safe to say that the MMA community will be excited to watch him fight once again.
