Dana White Reveals There’s More to Build at UFC Despite Its Status as the Biggest MMA Promotion

The UFC may dominate the MMA world, but Dana White isn’t slowing down just yet. Despite being a multi-billion-dollar global empire that practically made MMA mainstream, White believes there’s still plenty of untapped potential to explore. According to the UFC president, there are markets the organization hasn’t even touched yet, and he’s eager to expand into them in the near future. 

The UFC has come a long way since its early days, when critics dubbed it “human cockfighting.” Fast forward to today, and the organization has transformed into a global powerhouse, hosting events in 29 countries and reaching fans across 170 nations. While fighters like Conor McGregor and Israel Adesanya have achieved superstar status, many others haven’t quite reached that level of fame.

However, White sees a lot more growth ahead, despite the UFC being the largest MMA promotion in the world. Speaking to the Today Show Australia, White explained a little bit of his expansion plan and said,

“There are a lot of places we have not been to. We have not been to Spain yet, we haven’t been to Africa yet, there are a lot of cities we haven’t been to since COVID. There is still a lot of work to do.”

The UFC has been eyeing Africa for a while, especially after Dricus du Plessis clinched the middleweight title. Du Plessis, hailing from South Africa, has been vocal about bringing UFC events to the continent, especially to his home country. “I hope that by the end of 2025, we can have a UFC event in South Africa,” he said.

This sentiment was echoed by UFC executive Dave Shaw, who mentioned that UFC Africa is “definitely a 2025 thing,” indicating that plans are in motion to bring the event to the continent.

In the meantime, the UFC continues to host marquee events in countries like France, England, and Australia. For instance, UFC Fight Night: Gane vs. Tuivasa took place in Paris, France, on September 3, 2022. Additionally, UFC Fight Night: Edwards vs. Della Maddalena is scheduled for March 22, 2025, at the O2 Arena in London, England. Australia has also been a regular host, with events like UFC 305: du Plessis vs. Adesanya held in Perth in August 2024.

Interestingly, White’s expansion plans are not limited to the UFC or even MMA. The 55-year-old wants to move into boxing along with UFC’s parent company, TKO.

Ari Emanuel about the Ali Act and demolishing it

Dana White has long expressed frustration with boxing’s structure, particularly its fragmented nature and the challenges in promoting the sport. In 2017, he remarked that boxing was “a broken business that is an absolute nightmare to try to fix.”

Recently, White has reignited his interest in boxing, hinting at significant plans for 2025. He stated, “I have a plan. I’m going to implement that plan and we’ll see how it works.”

However, TKO Group CEO Ari Emanuel’s comments about the Ali Act have raised concerns. He mentioned,

“I think you’ve got the Ali Act that hurts it. Hopefully, who knows what’s going to happen with the Ali Act.”

The Ali Act, enacted in 2000, was designed to protect boxers by ensuring transparency in contracts, limiting promoter control, and separating rankings from promoters. It aimed to address issues like exploitative contracts and lack of fighter representation.

Critics argue that removing the Ali Act could shift power from boxers to promoters, potentially leading to less favorable terms for fighters. This concern stems from the UFC’s model, where fighters often have less bargaining power, and promoters retain significant control over contracts and revenue distribution.

While Dana White’s entry into boxing could bring fresh perspectives, the potential repeal of the Ali Act raises important questions about the balance of power in the sport. It’s crucial to consider how such changes might impact the fighters who are the heart of boxing.