Dana White details relationship turnaround with ‘Michael Jordan of the business world’ Vince McMahon

Standing alongside WWE chairman Vince McMahon at the launch of TKO Group Holdings Inc. at the New York Stock Exchange, Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), found himself next to a longtime adversary. However, as both individuals now operate under the same parent company WME, White considers their past conflicts to be a thing of the past.

“My history with Vince isn’t a good one,” White recently revealed in an interview with Sports Illustrated. “He tried to f*ck me so many times for no reason whatsoever except just to f*ck me. But that’s in the past. Now that Vince and I are allies, no one’s been a better partner than Vince.”

White also noted that since aligning with Vince, their dynamic has completely changed. He expressed that McMahon can be relentless when he perceives someone as opposing him. However, once aligned, McMahon becomes an incredible partner.

Although UFC and WWE are different entities, their target demographics often lead to comparisons and discussions within the public sphere. White has acknowledged McMahon’s competitive nature in the past while downplaying any personal rivalry. Examples of their newfound alliance include White attending WrestleMania 34 to watch former UFC champion Ronda Rousey perform, as well as McMahon and Triple H attending UFC 276 following WWE’s Money in the Bank pay-per-view in 2022.

While White has always maintained a pleasant relationship with Stephanie and Triple H, it took some time to win over Vince McMahon. White now goes as far as to refer to McMahon as the “Michael Jordan of the business world.”

Discussing their ongoing communication, White stated, “We’ve probably spoken on the phone 20 times since the deal. It’s all added-value conversation – with Vince doing work and raising the bar for both companies… [McMahon] is definitely a killer. He’s the Michael Jordan of the business world.”

The official merger between UFC and WWE under TKO took place on September 12. Despite speculations of increased collaboration between the two brands, White quickly dismissed the idea of changing their respective products to cater to a more general fan base.

Story originally appeared on MMA Junkie