Dana White added another chapter to his remarkable UFC run after appearing on the cover of TIME Magazine ahead of next month’s groundbreaking White House event.
The issue features White alongside the headline “The Promoter: How Dana White Took the UFC From the Fringes to the White House,” spotlighting the UFC’s transformation from a controversial niche product into one of the most influential forces in global sports and entertainment.
The timing is no coincidence. The feature drops just weeks before UFC White House on June 14, where lightweight champion Ilia Topuria is set to defend his title against Justin Gaethje in the main event. The card will make history as the first UFC event ever held at the White House.
Dana White reflects on UFC’s journey to the White House
TIME’s profile revisits White’s role in transforming the UFC from a struggling organization into one of the biggest sports brands in the world. The article also highlights his longtime relationship with President Donald Trump, who supported the company during its early years when many venues refused to host MMA events.
White has frequently credited Trump for giving the UFC opportunities when the sport faced heavy criticism and limited exposure in the early 2000s. That relationship has remained strong as the promotion continues expanding globally.
The White House event is expected to become one of the UFC’s most talked-about cards of the year, especially with Topuria defending his lightweight crown against fan favorite Justin Gaethje.
White reveals women’s title fight he wanted for the card
One notable detail from the TIME article involved White discussing plans for a women’s championship bout that ultimately never materialized.
During questions about the lack of a women’s bout on the card, Dana White disclosed that the UFC explored putting together a strawweight title fight between Mackenzie Dern and Zhang Weili.
The matchup never crossed the finish line, however, with White saying the promotion ultimately “couldn’t get it done.”
No additional details were shared regarding why the matchup fell apart, but the revelation immediately sparked discussion among fans considering Zhang remains one of the promotion’s biggest stars.
Dern has continued climbing the strawweight rankings with several key wins in recent years, and a title opportunity against Zhang would have been one of the biggest fights of her career.