Taking Over The Vegas Sphere w/ Dana White | 2 Bears, 1 Cave

Summary

Podcast Title: 2 Bears, 1 Cave with Tom Segura & Bert Kreischer
Episode: Taking Over The Vegas Sphere w/ Dana White
Release Date: September 16, 2024
Hosts: Tom Segura & Bert Kreischer
Guest: Dana White
Source: YMH Studios

---

1. Introduction and Dana White’s Parenting Philosophy (00:04 – 03:01)

The episode kicks off with Tom Segura and Bert Kreischer welcoming Dana White, the President of the UFC, to the "2 Bears, 1 Cave" set in Las Vegas. The conversation quickly shifts to Dana's role as a father. Tom praises Dana's parenting, noting the impressive drive exhibited by Dana’s three children.

Notable Quote:

• Tom Segura (00:14): "Did you instill this in them? Because this is impressive stuff already."
• Dana White (02:00): "She does everything on her own and is so highly motivated, it's insane."

2. Dana White’s Upbringing and Its Influence on His Parenting (03:07 – 05:31)

Dana delves into his challenging upbringing, growing up with a single mother in Boston. Despite these hardships, he emphasizes the importance of not viewing his past as a victim but rather leveraging his experiences to guide his children. He shares how his environment, much like many who succeed, played a pivotal role in shaping his resilience and determination.

Notable Quote:

• Dana White (03:14): "The exact opposite of my kids. I grew up the exact opposite of my kids."
• Dana White (04:30): "Life is hard. When you get out of bed every day, life standing right there to punch you right in the mouth."

3. Experiences with Las Vegas and Underworld Connections (05:00 – 09:15)

The discussion transitions to Dana’s experiences in Las Vegas during the late '80s and early '90s. He shares anecdotes about encountering individuals associated with the infamous mobster Whitey Bulger, highlighting the dangerous and unregulated environment of that era. Dana recounts the prevalence of violence and the unwritten rules that governed South Boston at the time.

Notable Quote:

• Dana White (05:00): "Somebody walk up and shoot you, you'd have two options. You forget about it. You retaliate."
• Dana White (08:25): "They would just go and pull out some fucking seven card 21. Or push you on a 20 and things like that."

4. Gambling in Las Vegas: Blackjack and Baccarat Strategies (09:54 – 28:52)

Dana expresses his passion for gambling, particularly in Las Vegas casinos. He differentiates between the regulated environment of Las Vegas and the more corrupt casinos elsewhere, such as those near Niagara Falls. The conversation delves into Dana’s favorite games—blackjack and baccarat—and his strategies for maximizing wins. He emphasizes the importance of entering the casino with a clear strategy and discipline to either double his money or leave.

Notable Quotes:

• Dana White (11:32): "There's no cheating here... Just the highest stakes gambling that you can do anywhere in the world."
• Dana White (19:55): "Sometimes you get a goofy deck where no matter what you do, you can't fucking. You can't win."

5. UFC vs Boxing: Corruption and Fan Engagement (28:52 – 39:57)

The hosts and Dana compare the UFC to traditional boxing, pointing out the inherent corruption within boxing, especially regarding judging and favoritism towards fighters from influential backgrounds. Dana praises the UFC for its transparency and authentic engagement with fans, contrasting it with boxing's often opaque and biased nature. He highlights how the UFC has maintained a strong connection with its audience, unlike boxing, which he deems "completely lopsided."

Notable Quotes:

• Tom Segura (37:28): "You're not wrong. That is exactly what I mean."
• Dana White (38:21): "Every time you see a major boxing fight, it's so corrupt... The person who clearly won the fight is losing the fight when it goes to the cards."

6. The Role of Joe Rogan in UFC’s Growth (39:57 – 53:58)

A significant portion of the conversation centers on Joe Rogan's instrumental role in UFC's expansion. Dana narrates the serendipitous meeting between him and Rogan, highlighting how Rogan’s genuine passion for fighting and authentic commentary transformed UFC events. He commends Rogan for his ability to connect with fans and provide insightful commentary without the constraints typically imposed on broadcasters.

Notable Quotes:

• Dana White (51:24): "Rogan is by far the best to ever do it."
• Dana White (52:55): "Rogan came in and did the first 13 events for free."

7. The Sphere: Integration of Sports and Entertainment (53:58 – 66:50)

Dana introduces the ambitious project of "The Sphere," a state-of-the-art venue in Las Vegas designed to revolutionize the fusion of sports and entertainment. He shares his vision of hosting a UFC event that not only showcases high-level fighting but also incorporates immersive entertainment elements, such as live music and cinematic experiences, to create a unique spectator experience. Dana emphasizes the Sphere's potential to host record-breaking events, leveraging its advanced technology to engage audiences like never before.

Notable Quotes:

• Dana White (60:15): "The Sphere is the star of the show, not you too."
• Dana White (65:04): "This movie is going to start at the beginning of time and it's going to end in the future of Mexico. It’s a love letter to the Mexican people."

8. Dana White’s Daily Routine and Work-Life Balance (66:50 – 83:28)

Dana provides an in-depth look into his daily regimen, emphasizing the importance of health and fitness. He describes his morning routine, which includes a rigorous workout followed by recovery sessions such as cold plunges, steam, sauna, and red light therapy. Dana shares how he balances his intense work schedule with family life, ensuring he remains present and involved in his children’s upbringing despite his demanding role.

Notable Quotes:

• Dana White (76:16): "I get to the gym every day between 8:30 and 9:30 in the morning."
• Dana White (75:16): "When I throw parties in the summertime, I turn the whole backyard at UFC headquarters into a carnival and bring your fucking kids and your family and let your wife and kids be a part of what you do."

9. Closing Remarks and Future Plans (83:28 – End)

As the episode wraps up, Tom and Bert express their admiration for Dana’s accomplishments and candidness. They discuss potential future collaborations, particularly in gambling, with Bert expressing eagerness to join Dana at a baccarat table. Dana concludes by reinforcing his commitment to UFC’s growth and his dedication to maintaining a family-oriented culture within his organization.

Notable Quotes:

• Bert Kreischer (84:09): "You seem like a really good dad, and it's a crazy thing to say."
• Dana White (82:03): "Once you start, great energy this way. It becomes addictive."

---

Conclusion

In this engaging episode of "2 Bears, 1 Cave," Tom Segura and Bert Kreischer delve deep into Dana White's personal life, professional insights, and ambitious projects. From his unique approach to parenting shaped by a challenging upbringing to his innovative vision for UFC's future with The Sphere, Dana provides a comprehensive look into what drives both his personal and professional life. The candid conversation offers listeners valuable insights into the mindset of one of the most influential figures in combat sports today.

Transcript

[Bert Kreischer]

100%.

[Tom Segura]

All right, we are here. Another episode two bears, one cave we're in Las Vegas, and we're being joined by the one and only Dana White. Dana, thank you for coming today.

[Dana White]

Yeah, thanks for having me, boys, for giving.

[Tom Segura]

We were talking about our kids a second ago. Here's what I'm thinking already. Just. Just in the brief conversation we were just having about your kids, they seem to have, like, the same drive as dad because you got, like, three kids that are killing it. Like, did you instill this in them? Because this is impressive stuff already.

[Dana White]

I don't know. I. I think, you know, I've. I've thought a lot about this type of stuff. I think, you know, some people are born with it and some people aren't, but it comes. It definitely the environment you grow up with. Huge. And, you know, like, I. When you have boys, which you do.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

As a father, you know, you feel like. Especially if I'm their father, you feel like the first thing you have to do is teach them how to fight. So my kids trained in jiu jitsu and Muay Thai and boxing and all that stuff at a young age. But it's fascinating how they become who they're going to become.

[Tom Segura]

Right.

[Dana White]

I was always a fight guy. I like watching football, and I'll watch some of this, some of that and whatever, but my oldest son was in love with football, like, absolutely.

[Bert Kreischer]

I remember watching that documentary from the.

[Dana White]

First time he ever started playing. And, you know, then he played at US USD for four years, and he was devastated when football was over. And. And then now he's moving on to the next chapter of his life. My other son is his. Aiden loves anime and comics and. And all that stuff. And he actually boxed, too. He actually had a fight. He. He did one fight out in Boston. And. And then my daughter. My daughter's so driven. Like I was telling you guys, we never had to wake her up for school. You didn't have to tell her to get ready to go do this. She does everything on her own and is so highly motivated, it's insane.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah. It's funny when you have. I have two, and you think that it's going to be a replica of your own experience in a way. So. My dad loved football, and I love football. And when I have two little baby boys, I was like, man, we're going to be like a football house. And when I'm watching football, they will walk in, look at the TV and go, oh, my God. They're like, can you just put something else on. I'm like, this is what we're supposed.

[Bert Kreischer]

I thought we were gonna do this.

[Tom Segura]

For fucking the rest of our lives.

[Bert Kreischer]

And they're like, RuPaul's Drag Race.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah. Like, this is bullshit.

[Dana White]

No. It is fascinating to see what. What kind of people they become.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And you're at the age you're got. Your boys are 6 and 8. They're. They're gonna start to form who they are right now. Oh, yeah. You know, it's. It's fun to watch.

[Tom Segura]

One's obsessed with cars, and I, like. So it's like, that's fun. And the other one is like, cars are lame. They just, like, they get their own identity, you know?

[Dana White]

So true.

[Tom Segura]

It's. It is fun, though.

[Dana White]

It's so true. Same parents, same household.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Yet they all become different.

[Tom Segura]

They all totally different.

[Dana White]

It's really cool. I. It's. I say it all the time. One of the greatest things you will ever do.

[Bert Kreischer]

A weird question, but, like, you didn't grow up a rich kid.

[Dana White]

No.

[Bert Kreischer]

But your kids. Your kids grew up rich kids.

[Dana White]

The exact opposite of my kids. I grew up the exact opposite of my kids. Single mom who worked all the time, me and my sister. My dad was never around, and when he was. You didn't want him around. You know, that kind of stuff. But I. I always say it all the time. I wouldn't change my upbringing for anything, man. Yeah, there's different. You know, you. You see these people who grow up. Victims. Like, you don't understand. I grew up and I had the. Yeah. So I didn't have any role models. Yes, you did.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Yes, you did.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Tons of role models around me. Tons of people who showed me exactly what I don't want to do and what I don't want to be. Just perspective is all it is. Like, you think this role model is supposed to be, you know, some big hero that does this and that? No. There's tons of role models in your life that you need to learn from. Well, the good and the bad talk.

[Tom Segura]

About their life, and they lead. Their narrative is, here's everything that's stacked against me. Like, they lead with that as. And. And then they go that. So this justifies anything that doesn't work out for me because it wasn't supposed to. Like, they're just. They're just, like, highlighting how hard it is. And you're like, yeah, it's hard. All this is hard. It's hard for everybody.

[Dana White]

Life is hard.

[Tom Segura]

Life is hard. Yeah.

[Dana White]

I say it all the time. When you get out of bed every day, life standing right there to punch you right in the mouth, man.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And you got to get up and get ready to go every day.

[Tom Segura]

Can I ask you that? Because I. I don't know. This is an old Boston story I heard. I don't know the full scope of this, but I have to ask you this. Did you have direct interactions with Whitey Bulger?

[Dana White]

Never.

[Tom Segura]

Never, Never.

[Dana White]

But as far as I know, in those days, I don't even know if I ever saw him.

[Tom Segura]

Okay.

[Dana White]

You know, you knew he was there. You. You knew his presence was in South Boston, but he had lots of guys under him. Yeah, I dealt with the guys that were under him. I never. As far as I know, I never ran into Whitey Bulger, but I didn't even know what Whitey Bulger looked like.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Until after. You know, this is before the Internet.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

You know, so, you know, if you saw him in the newspaper or something like that, which, you know, I'm in my early 20s. I'm not reading the newspaper, so I don't even. I don't know if I ever saw him.

[Tom Segura]

Are those. Are the people that he. You dealt with, though, terrifying individuals also?

[Dana White]

Yeah. I mean. I mean, if you look now at the. At the movie and read all the. They were burying. They were killing people and burying bodies and, you know, these. These guys.

[Tom Segura]

Scary. Yeah.

[Dana White]

So when I lived there, it was like these guys didn't even know what century it was, man. It was. It was like. And they had this thing where you couldn't call the police, so. And if you did, now it makes sense. They were telling Whitey Bulger who was calling because he was working with the feds, shut the fuck up. In South Boston, if somebody did something to you. Right.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Fucking. There were guys shooting each other and shit. Like, somebody walk up and shoot you, you'd have two options. You forget about it. You retaliate. I mean, that. That was kind of how it was back then, you know? It was crazy.

[Tom Segura]

That is. That sounds like another era.

[Dana White]

It was. I mean, it was like. It was the early 90s, late 80s, early 90s. But it was like. Like I said, another century, man. It was. It was. It was so crazy, you know, And. And when you're that young, you. You. You. You realize it's a dangerous place, but you don't really realize how serious it really was after.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah, of course, like, you look back on it, and you're like, oh, my.

[Dana White]

God, my guy, Peter Welsh, that. That I sought out. This guy was A street fighting legend. And, and, and Southie. So I went looking for this guy because I wanted to quit my job and I wanted to work under him and have him teach me everything about fighting. But this guy was in, like, in the middle of all that and, and the stories that he has today. And when you hear this stuff, it's, it's. It's literally like watching every gangster movie you've ever seen. From Casino to Good Fellas to. You know what I mean? It's. It's. It's that type of.

[Tom Segura]

I remember watching a doc, my first job, like, out of college, but I used to work for America's Most Wanted, so. That's cool.

[Dana White]

We would.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah, we would, like, profile Whitey all the time, you know.

[Dana White]

That is cool. Yeah. That he was number one most wanted list, right?

[Tom Segura]

Oh, 100%.

[Dana White]

Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

And we did multiple episodes on him. But one time I was watching this thing where they were interviewing his old right hand guy, I think Kevin Weeks was his name.

[Dana White]

Kevin Weeks.

[Tom Segura]

And Kevin told the story about how it was like a chick's stepdaughter and Whitey was getting really annoyed by her. So he goes. He strangled her one night and he killed her. And we put her in the basement. He goes. And the thing about it, he's like, whenever Whitey killed, it would just make him relax so much. He slept for like two days. He was in such a good mood. And you're like, jesus Christ. Like that. That was him, for him was like the spa, I think. Choke somebody out.

[Dana White]

The guy that he killed, the girl that he killed, was his right hand man. I think his name was Stephen Flemy.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

The rifleman. Stephen Flemmy. It was his stepdaughter.

[Tom Segura]

Stepdaughter, right.

[Dana White]

Yeah, yeah.

[Tom Segura]

And they're like. And he was like. And now he was like, happy.

[Dana White]

Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

This a scary story.

[Dana White]

Real man.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Is that still around?

[Dana White]

No, not, not, not anywhere that I've seen. It's not.

[Bert Kreischer]

Because you're in what they argue, like boxing, and this is apparently the most corrupt place in the world, is that.

[Dana White]

They say that boxing is definitely not the most corrupt place in the world. That's for sure. This place is so regulated now. I mean, this, this place was definitely built by the mob.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

But this, this city is regulated, the game. That's why there's. That's why there's sports here now. I mean.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah, this is.

[Dana White]

This, this is. I tell people this all the time about gambling, right?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

If you really are a gambler and you, like, even if you're in your. Your fucking podunk town, they got some shitty little casino down the street, Get a plane ticket and fly to Vegas and gamble here. Yeah, the gambling here is way more legit than any of these. I believe that these other fucking casinos that they pop up anywhere else. The only one that's even remotely close to here, and it is close, is Boston. The encore.

[Tom Segura]

Really?

[Dana White]

Yeah. The encore in Boston is the closest thing to Vegas that you'll find out of.

[Tom Segura]

The most important question that I think anybody can ask you is definitely, let's talk about blackjack.

[Bert Kreischer]

Okay.

[Tom Segura]

You are this is this. There's so many stories about you. I have friends that have played with you who shall remain nameless, but it's like legendary. Were you. First of all, did you always love blackjack? Because I love blackjack.

[Dana White]

Well, I've always loved gambling.

[Tom Segura]

Camera.

[Bert Kreischer]

Hang on. Let's start here. Can you. I have a video about me loving drinking. I love drinking.

[Dana White]

Yeah, I can tell. I just. Yeah, yeah, it's. Can you. It's noon.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah, I just. I just flew in from Savannah. I've been drinking all morning. Dana. I didn't stop last night.

[Dana White]

It's noon. He's got a bottle of vodka this big.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah. Killing it. Hey, give me a. What do you love about gambling? Explain gambling to people that. The Mennonites that might be listening. Like, explain what's beautiful about gambling. Because I there, I have a passion for gambling, but it's a little more high stakes. I can't fall in love with $100 on a hand. But, like, what do you love about gambling? I'm curious.

[Dana White]

Good question. So I love the energy of a casino. I love walking in. I love the energy of this city. This city gives me a different type of energy than any other city in the world. I've traveled the world. I go everywhere. We stay in great hotels. I. I got, you know, places in other cities and all this. When I land in Vegas, man, and I see the strip and all the lights and I get out and you feel the heat and the. Just this city just pumps me the up and, you know, now it's got all the best restaurants in the world, all the best shopping and the biggest, you know, casinos and highest stakes gambling that. That you can do anywhere in the world. And it's. And it's. And it's regulated.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Right. There's no cheating here. There's no. There's no. I told. I told the story. I played in some casino. And. And Canada. The. Canada. New York. Buffalo.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Border there.

[Dana White]

Niagara. Scumbags. Up there, cheating, lying, dirty. At.

[Bert Kreischer]

At those casinos, we use the word indigenous. Keep going.

[Dana White]

So if you, if you live in any of those areas and you think about gambling, just jump on a plane and go to Vegas. It's, it's. You got a much better chance of winning.

[Bert Kreischer]

Best restaurants.

[Dana White]

100%.

[Bert Kreischer]

You walk into a casino, you smell it 100%. You smell a little bit of cigarette, a little bit of cigar and a lot of luck.

[Dana White]

100%. That's the other thing that I love about, about casinos. You know, they become pussified a little bit like the rest of the world has. But I don't smoke. I don't do any of that shit. But I don't mind when people are cranking off cigarettes or cigars or whatever.

[Tom Segura]

Good with it.

[Dana White]

Do your fucking thing. You guys are in Vegas. Everybody comes to Vegas to do whatever the fuck they want to do. And if you don't like it, then get the fuck out of the casino. Smoke's bothering you.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Fly back to wherever the fuck you came from and don't come to Vegas. Vegas is where people can come and do anything.

[Tom Segura]

They say first impressions are important. What about lasting impressions? That's where BlueChew comes in. BlueChew helps give men longer lasting and stronger erections so you can perform at your very best. BlueChew is an online service that delivers the same active ingredients as Viagra, Cialis and Levitra, but at a fraction of the cost and in a chewable form. The process is simple. Sign [e-mail] consult with one of their licensed medical providers, and once you're approved, you'll receive your prescription within days. The best part? It's all done online. That means no visits to the doctor's office, no awkward conversations, and no waiting in line at the pharmacy. I'm telling you, you don't know what getting hard is until you've done this. You need to do this even if you don't think you need it. You've never been harder, trust me. Bluechew wants you to have the confidence to perform at your best. To discover your [e-mail] we've got a special deal for our listeners. Try Bluechew Free. When you use our promo code bears at checkout, just pay $5 shipping. That's BlueChew.com promo code bears to receive your first month free. Visit BlueChew.com for details and important safety information. And we thank BlueChew for sponsor the podcast.

[Bert Kreischer]

Is your state restricting legal access to live the high life. Via gives you the freedom to blaze your own trail and get fully legal hemp and cannabis products discreetly shipped to your door in all 50 states. Red, white and blaze with Via's organic flour grown carefully and rigorously tested to ensure the highest quality free from harsh pesticides or nasty chemicals. Via is well known for their premium THCA flour grown indoors in state of the art facilities and harvested at peak THCA levels to emphasize a natural aroma and flavor. Via is constantly adding new strains to its website every week as they're always receiving fresh new strains from their independent farms harvests. The THCA flower strains are grown with care and rigorously tested to ensure the highest quality free from harsh pesticides and nasty chemicals. Trusted by over half a million happy customers for their wellness needs, Via is the brand everyone's raving about. So if you're 21 and over, check out our link to Via's website in our description for 15% off. Man, this stuff is awesome. I tell you right now my sleep score is through the roof and I think it has to be because of Via. I am sleeping like a baby. A stone baby. If you're 21 and over, check out the link to Via in our description and use code bears to receive 15% off. After you purchase, they're going to ask you where you heard about them. Please support our show and tell them we sent you. Unleash the green and live the American.

[Tom Segura]

Dream with fire what does the future hold for business? Ask nine experts and you'll get 10 answers. Bull market, Bear market. Inflation's up or down. Rates will rise or fall. Can someone please invent a crystal ball? Until then, over 38,000 businesses have future proofed their business with NetSuite by Oracle, the number one cloud ERP bringing accounting, financial management, inventory, HR into one fluid platform with one unified business management suite. There's one source of truth giving you the visibility and control you need to make quick decisions. With real time insights and forecasting, you're peering into the future with actionable data. When you're closing the books in days, not weeks, you're spending less time looking backwards and more time on what's next. Isn't that what we're all looking for anyway? Just something to make our time of better use? Something to help our business and help our personal life all together in one. Speaking of opportunity, download the CFO's guide to AI and machine learning at netsuite.com bears the guide is free to you at netsuite.com bears net suite.com bears Anyway.

[Dana White]

When I walk into a casino, I love the. The fact that it's me versus them, right? This big, powerful casino versus me. And we're going to go toe to toe tonight.

[Bert Kreischer]

My dick's getting.

[Dana White]

The other thing that I love is Vegas. No matter how much money you have or don't have, it's the only city in the world where you can go out one night with 200 bucks, have the greatest night of your fucking life and go home with 1500.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

You know what I mean?

[Tom Segura]

Yes.

[Dana White]

That's what I love about this city.

[Tom Segura]

I think another thing, this is like my own assumption here is that you are a high achiever. You've had a lot of big wins. You're a winner, you get behind things and you win. And I think some of that extends, like when you don't have a pay per view going on, you don't have a fight, you go there to gamble. And it's another win, it's another chance to get a charge of. Like, tonight was a great gate at the arena. Well, tonight I just fucking won again here. I think it's part of the drive. It's the same thing that, like, Jordan, it's like, you know, he's the best player and then he's playing golf and he's like, we're playing 100 grand a hole. He's just getting more wins. It's just wins and wins.

[Dana White]

You're not wrong. That is. That is exactly what I mean. And listen, you don't go out and you don't win every night, of course, but I look at each year as a war and there's little battles inside the war. Whether I win or lose or whatever happens to me. Every night there's this road called Summerlin Parkway that comes down and goes down toward my house every fucking night. When I turn that corner, literally the whole Vegas, you know, the view comes out, the entire Vegas. I film it at least once a week and post it. I love this motherfucking city.

[Tom Segura]

You love your city that much?

[Dana White]

I love that. I don't know if anybody loves Vegas more than I do. I can't tell if this city was built for me or if I was built for this city.

[Tom Segura]

But it sounds like you guys are a good match.

[Dana White]

It's fucking awesome. When playing last night till one in the morning, I literally and play blackjack.

[Tom Segura]

Okay, we like, we.

[Dana White]

I become a bachelor guy now.

[Tom Segura]

Oh, you okay. We have to get there.

[Dana White]

Well, I haven't played blackjack in like six months.

[Tom Segura]

Okay, let me ask you a blackjack question. First before we go back. So we're on the road a lot. We play casinos all the time, the bullshit ones and the great Vegas ones. And for me, on the road, you know, we have our tour crew. You show up. Blackjack is like, one of the things we do. Like, it's like my tour crew, it's like a fun thing. We go to the table, and we play together, and we have fun doing it there. A lot of people know who play blackjack. You know, there's the book you play. You know the strategy of, like, here's. When you split this way, you double. Do you do any of this, or are you just like. I do whatever the fuck I want, whenever I want.

[Bert Kreischer]

Can I say something? I've been at tables where they've said, this is what Dana does. I've been at tables where they go. This is what Dana does, is they're like, yo, it's. It's like a fucking 14. He takes the fucking hit. Like, it's. You seem to.

[Tom Segura]

That's what I'm saying.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

It's like.

[Dana White]

So when you're playing. Yes. You play by the book, and you do it if the cards are. Are feeling right.

[Tom Segura]

Right.

[Dana White]

If you. Sometimes you get a goofy deck.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Where no matter what you do.

[Tom Segura]

Shit shoe.

[Dana White]

You can't fucking. You'll get a. You'll get a 20 ye. And they'll pull out some fucking seven card 21. Or push you on a 20 and things like that. When your night is going that way.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

You got to do all kinds that. You got to throw the fucking kitchen sink at them. Whether it's play one hand, two hands, three hands, split shit. You're not supposed to split double on shit. You're starting to just try. You try to fuck up the shoe.

[Tom Segura]

Okay.

[Dana White]

Any way you possibly can. Because what you're trying to do and what I try to tell people is people will go in, and I don't know if their mentality is. You have the guys that. You guys all come in from out of town. You're on a bachelor party. Yeah, right.

[Bert Kreischer]

Sure.

[Dana White]

And the mentality when you come in is, I'm bringing two grand. This is what I'm willing to lose in Vegas.

[Tom Segura]

Right.

[Dana White]

Instead of, I'm gonna bring two grand, and I'm gonna. I'm gonna turn this two grand into another thousand.

[Tom Segura]

Right?

[Dana White]

Right. If you have $2,000, you're not gonna come to Vegas and win a million dollars. Right. It just doesn't work that way. There have been crazy stories throughout the history of Vegas, where guys have walked in and just pulled off amazing things that, you know, you hear these stories and that's almost like the fantasy that everybody has. Of course, in the history of the city, it's probably happened seven or eight fucking times. You know what I mean? Where a guy walked in with a few hundred and killed it. But if you go in with the mentality that I have, if I can double my money, if you have a thousand and you win a thousand, yeah, get the fuck out. Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

But that's not the. Because people are there to have fun. And. And you and your three other buddies, there's five of you at the table and you're having drinks, you know, and you're laughing and telling fucking stories. You're in Vegas. This guy's fucking staying on a 16. When the dealer's showing a 10.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Right. He stays. And then you get the fucked up card and everybody gets murdered.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And that's what Vegas was built on. All the guys, you know, you have millions of people that come in to the city throughout the year that are just there to fuck around and have fun.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And then you have fucking killers. I'm talking snipers that come in that the casinos actually have to be worried about. And. And you know, they go toe to toe. There's this guy. What the fuck is his name? He's from. He's from Japan. I've been saying his name for like two weeks now. He just came in, he plays baccarat. Rich Japanese dude, this guy's a gangster. Just beat them for $50 million. 50 million. Beat the Venetian for 50 million. Playing baccarat. Then I heard, I was at.

[Bert Kreischer]

We gotta get into baccarat.

[Dana White]

I was at Bellagio the night that he was in there. And he lost 25 million at Bellagio. And the whole place was like, buz that this guy was there and had lost 25 million over there. But yeah, there's these dudes that come in out of Asia.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

So how I started to learn how to play baccarat is I went down to the High Limit Room at Caesar's Palace. I love Caesar's Palace. So I go down there and it's all Chinese.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And Asians down there and they play baccarat. They will. They will sit there 7:30 at night till 10:00 the next morning. Jesus. And they're sitting there, they got their cards, they're writing all this down. I learned how to play baccarat from them, from the Chinese. Those are all my people now down at Caesars Man.

[Tom Segura]

Were you just studying?

[Dana White]

I literally just get in, and I sit with them. And the women are even better than the men because the women have more patience than the men do. And they sit there and they pick their shots. I learned how to play baccarat from the Chinese down at Caesar's Palace.

[Tom Segura]

Holy shit.

[Bert Kreischer]

Awesome.

[Tom Segura]

I've never done it.

[Bert Kreischer]

Is baccarat more fun than blackjack?

[Dana White]

Yes, it really is. And I never thought that I would say that in my lifetime.

[Tom Segura]

I don't even know how to play. I don't know how to play.

[Dana White]

I didn't either.

[Bert Kreischer]

They have a paddle, right?

[Dana White]

I literally invested, like, three months into sitting in with these. With these Chinese people and. And learning how to play, watching what they do and. And learning, you know, the rules and the do's and don'ts of the game. And so I started playing seriously in. In January, and I beat them for a million a night for. I don't want to. I want to say, like, 23 trips.

[Tom Segura]

What?

[Dana White]

23 trips. I beat him for a million a night. Then we're about to go on a. We're going out of town somewhere, and I'm in there. We're literally supposed to be on the plane, and, like, 25 minutes, and I get clipped for 5 million. And so we had to jump on the plane, go on a trip. I come back, beat Bellagio for 3 million. And anyway, it's just been that this is what's been going on.

[Tom Segura]

You're the best.

[Dana White]

I beat Red Rock last night for 750,000. When you play. When you play baccarat, you win so much more money.

[Tom Segura]

What type of wagers are generating? You know, I mean, so you can.

[Dana White]

Bet 450,000 a hand. You can bet 350,000 a hand at Caesars, and Red Rock lets me play 100,000 hand.

[Tom Segura]

And it's because I don't know anything about the game. A hand. Is it over quickly? Like, is it a complicated or quick thing?

[Dana White]

So what happens is, you guys got to come do this with me.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah, I want to.

[Bert Kreischer]

Absolutely not.

[Tom Segura]

I want to.

[Bert Kreischer]

Absolutely not. You know, I just love. I love the tickle of gamble, the gambling. The thing I love about gambling is when you're not thinking about drinking, you're not thinking about your family. You're in the moment, and everything's tingling inside you, and you go and your heart's racing. That moment of gamble is so sexy. But it's. But. But it's. It's got to be worth something to you. That's the thing that was me. Is that it no longer is worth something to me. So, like, I'm not willing to bet that much money. It's got to tickle you, like, then.

[Tom Segura]

See, then you don't get the rush.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah, the rush is what I want.

[Tom Segura]

Because, you know, I mean, they always say in black. I don't know if you ever heard.

[Dana White]

You're preaching to the preacher here.

[Bert Kreischer]

What's the.

[Tom Segura]

When you're gambling on blackjack and they go. And you. That first time, you reduce your bet, you know, you go like you've been betting a thousand and you pull it back to 100. And then someone goes, oh, you. I guess you. This is how you want to hit blackjack. Like, you're always going to get blackjack on the time you pull your bet down.

[Dana White]

I don't do that. I go hard.

[Bert Kreischer]

What's your number? What's your number? Because I know my number for a bet that where the rush kicks in. Well, like when I. I love the feeling of going, like, I'm all in. Like, I love that feeling of going, this is all the money I brought to the table. I'm putting it all on black. I love that feeling. What's your number?

[Dana White]

If that's my thing is about winning. I want to win. I. I wanna. I wanna come. You. What you said is dead on. I want to beat them. I want to win. So I'm not there. You know, you'll get these guys that'll go in there and play for. For 10 hours. I've played for 18, 19 hours. If I'm there 18, 19 hours, that's not a good thing. That means I'm getting my ass kicked and I'm trying to get back out. What I do is I go in and I try to be strategic and I try to be disciplined. Right? So you go in, you bet as big as you can, you win two or three hands and you get the out.

[Tom Segura]

And you do that a lot.

[Dana White]

100. So wait, take. Listen. If I'm betting 450,000 a hand. Yeah. And you win three hands. Do the math. It's over a million dollars. So you get the. Out of there immediately.

[Tom Segura]

A thousand percent. When you say though, the hand on back ratio. Tell me how you. You were about to tell me how.

[Dana White]

So this is how it works. So you can either go. You can bet banker or player.

[Tom Segura]

Okay?

[Dana White]

Right. And the way that you win, there's there a natural. A natural is the equivalent of a blackjack.

[Tom Segura]

Okay.

[Dana White]

And blackjack. So if you get an 8 or a 9, it's called the natural. And you automatically win.

[Tom Segura]

Automatically.

[Dana White]

Unless the dealer flips an eight or a nine and then it's a push.

[Tom Segura]

Okay.

[Dana White]

You know what I mean?

[Tom Segura]

Okay.

[Dana White]

So an 8 or a 9 win you the hand.

[Tom Segura]

Okay.

[Dana White]

If you get anything else, the one who gets closest to eight or nine wins.

[Tom Segura]

Okay. So like seven would be close to.

[Dana White]

Yeah, seven is good. I had some people with me last night that it was their first time playing.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

So kind of walked them through it and they played with me for probably, you know, I had already won.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

So I was just fucking around with them to kind of show them how to do it. And. And they all walked out of there with money last night. But I'm telling you. And Baccarat is the closest game. That's the closest to 50.

[Bert Kreischer]

50. For those of us who thrive on getting stuff done, including workouts, every minute counts. That's why you need Tonal, the smart strength training system that takes the guesswork out of working out so you can make sure that you're making the most out of every rep. Tonal is the world's smartest and most effective strength training system that helps you get stronger. Powered by AI, Tonal learns with every rep so it can deliver workouts personalized just for you. Tonal learns from your movements and provide suggested weight recommendations for every move with detailed progress reports. They even create personalized program and workout suggestions or recommendations based on your individual goals. It's like having a personal trainer at your home with you as tonal will optimize every workout just for you. Unlike traditional gym equipment, Tonal uses adaptive digital weight to advance your training techniques. From professional athletes to the mom of three to the regular podcaster, Total is trusted by thousands who have become their strongest. I'm telling you, for me, working out, if you make it easy, I can do it. I can do it. Every single day. You throw it on your wall. It's almost staring at you as you walk out of your room going, you're not working out today. It's a no brainer. Right now, Tonal is offering our listeners $200 off your Tonal purchase with promo code BEARS. That's Tonal.com and use promo code BEARS for 200 off your purchase. That's Tonal.com promo code BEARS for $200 off.

[Dana White]

Alex, you like canned cranberry sauce or should we make it ourselves? That's my mom. She didn't know about Instacart's family carts. So, pecan pie this year, yes or no?

[Bert Kreischer]

And how many boxes of Stuffing.

[Dana White]

So I told her we could just share a family cart and add all our holiday favorites to the same order without losing our voices for our sanity.

[Tom Segura]

It's so much fun.

[Dana White]

Alex, can you get my holiday village.

[Tom Segura]

Out of the attic?

[Dana White]

Baby steps, Alex. Baby steps. Shop instacart this holiday season and enjoy free delivery on your first three orders. Service fees and terms apply. Alex, you know what I mean?

[Tom Segura]

Odds wise.

[Dana White]

Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

Okay.

[Dana White]

It's a 50. 50.

[Tom Segura]

Fuck.

[Bert Kreischer]

Hey, man, weird question. Okay. You sit down at a baccarat table. You ready for this?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

And there's four fighters that you're really excited to sit with and gamble with. Who would those four fighters be? And then four fighters that you sit down a bachelor table and go, this is going to be fucking exhausting.

[Dana White]

Oh, fuck. I don't know the answer. I mean, listen.

[Bert Kreischer]

No, no, no, Dana. You've never bit your tongue once.

[Dana White]

Well, there's lots of fighters that. That I like and that like sugar. Sean and I were together the other day filming this thing with Tom Hardy for Venom, the new Venom movie coming out. And, you know, Sean's a great dude, and Sean has that McGregor mentality. You know what I mean?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

He's a smart kid. He understands the business and he gets everything. He's easy to work with because he gets the.

[Tom Segura]

He gets it.

[Dana White]

Some of these guys are so fucking stupid and don't get it. They're short sighted. They don't see the big picture, and there's nothing you can do for those kinds. They are who they are and they're going to do what they're going to do. But you got like. Like Conor McGregor and, and. And. But was Conor and Sean Rousey. Ronda Rousey is the greatest athlete I've ever worked with.

[Bert Kreischer]

For real?

[Dana White]

Not even close. The greatest athlete I've ever worked with. She was. She was so smart. She built the women's division. Women are not fighting in the ufc. Has not been for Ronda Rousey. And how she approached it, how she approached me, then once she got the opportunity, what she did with it, I mean, she. She's incredible. And look at what she's done after the ufc.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

I mean, she's a bright.

[Dana White]

Owns real estate everywhere. You know, she. She's got. She built this little ranch and farm that she has with her husband.

[Bert Kreischer]

She's the reason I plant onions when they start to sprout.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah, yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

During the pandemic, I saw she was planting onions and I was like, I'll do that. And it grows like nine onions. Yeah. But Wait, is it.

[Dana White]

Where do you live?

[Bert Kreischer]

La.

[Dana White]

Okay. Plant onions in la.

[Bert Kreischer]

Am I. Yeah. Next to my marijuana. Hey, hey, wait. Is it frustrating as a business owner who makes good money right. On a business paradigm, and then to have a guy like Conor McGregor show up or Ron Rousey who changed the game on you?

[Dana White]

No, I love it.

[Bert Kreischer]

Really?

[Dana White]

I love it, man. That. That's like my. My favorite thing. Like, when we first found Connor, and I've told the story, I was like. I told Lorenzo I had dinner with him, and I'm like, lorenzo, I don't know if this guy can fucking throw a punch. I don't know if this guy can fight, but if he can even throw a fucking punch, he's going to be like, the biggest star ever.

[Tom Segura]

You knew it.

[Dana White]

Oh, I fucking knew it.

[Tom Segura]

The first night, it was like, charisma.

[Dana White]

And 100% really, his energy, his personality.

[Tom Segura]

But is this.

[Dana White]

And he's not a dumb guy. Conor McGregor is a smart guy. He gets fucking business. And.

[Tom Segura]

No, it's clear he gets business. But don't you get a lot of people who, like in the. Especially in the fight game, who come in with a lot of bravado, talk a lot of. But do you. Are you able to. Then register or. This is kind of like false bravado. Like, this isn't. You know, I mean, like, the difference.

[Dana White]

Between, like, it doesn't matter to me. The thing is with me is when you. When you come in, whoever you are, that's what I'm selling. Right. What I don't like is there's. There's people that come in that are pieces of. There's guys that are bad guys.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

My job is to make sure you don't know that he's a piece of. The fucking pieces of shit are.

[Tom Segura]

Right.

[Dana White]

You know what I mean? That's my fucking job.

[Bert Kreischer]

That's what I want to know. I can't tell you, Honestly. I was sitting on a plane today and I went. I've never met a UFC fighter that I didn't like. Every single one, Cowboy. Izzy, Connor, Nate, every single one I've ever met. I've always enjoyed them. They're cowboy.

[Dana White]

You know what's been awesome as the sport has gone like this, Right?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

For some reason, because this sport was so. You know, where we came from 25 years ago on, wasn't allowed on pay per view, let alone tv. You know, we never lost that connection with the. With the fans. You know what I mean?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

It's still to this day, this sport, that if. If you go to a UFC fight, the odds of meeting some of your favorite fighters are almost 100.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

You're gonna meet them, get pictures with them, sign stuff, and they're all really good to the fans. It's. It's just that that is the sport.

[Tom Segura]

And it's true cool that like the. Your sport. You. You are the most candidate guy running one of the major sport, like all the other heads of sports leagues. It's very corporate, like.

[Dana White]

Right.

[Tom Segura]

All the answers are. You're just like, I didn't get anything out of this. You don't. You don't know what the guy really thinks about anything. It's just like a statement that a lawyer wrote. It's a lawyer statement. Yeah. And then also those leagues oftentimes make sure that their athletes also don't become authentic. Are not authentic. And then the athletes kind of give these canned answers too, you know.

[Dana White]

I don't disagree.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah, it's really boring.

[Dana White]

That was something that. I never wanted this to be very cool. And I've always encouraged the engagement between the fans and the fighters. And this sport, as long as I'm here, will always be fan friendly.

[Bert Kreischer]

Shift.

[Dana White]

And our fans. Our fans are the fucking best, man. I mean, they're very opinionated. They're very, you know, and they'll go in on you. And I love. That's what I love about the fight business, man.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And. And the greatest thing about, like, if you guys wanted to sit here right now and you wanted to get in depth with me and talk about cricket, we're gonna have a real short conversation. All right. If you wanted to go in depth with me and really talk about football, and I'm a football fan. I'm so excited that football's back. Yeah, I couldn't do it. But everybody, men, women, whatever, everybody has an opinion on fighting. And everybody, you know, is an expert on fighting. You know, they feel.

[Tom Segura]

Sure.

[Dana White]

And that's what fucking makes this sport so great. And I love battling with the fans on Instagram or whatever it is that you do it. Yeah, I fucking love it. I love the sport. I love the fans. And when we're talking about our fighters, like we were talking about earlier, compared to boxing, our guys are. Are angels. Compared to some real people that are.

[Tom Segura]

Involved in boxing, boxing is like, oh, my God. I mean, it got to the point now where every time a pretty much a major, like, you know, this is a sanctioned big boxing fight takes place, you watch the fight and you see how the, like the judge. Where are these judges from? It's all so corrupt. It's like, completely lopsided. The person who clearly won the fight is losing the fight when it goes to the cards. Like, it hasn't changed in, like 20 years now.

[Dana White]

It just feels like it's, you know, so this, this guy out of Saudi Arabia, Sheikh. Turkey is. It's an interesting play because this is the first guy in the history of boxing that has actually reinvested in the sport. He's actually investing money into the sport of boxing, which has never been done. The only investment that's ever been made in combat sports really is us.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

You know, we keep reinvesting in the sport, right?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Why would I do the sphere when I can just pull off a regular fight every Saturday? Right. Why would I build performance institutes in other countries? Why would we do this? Why would we do that? Because we reinvest in this sport.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

To try to help it grow and help build it. No different than the NFL did. No different than Major League Baseball does. And the list goes on and on. If you want to build the business, you have to invest in it. And, you know, all boxing ever does, every time they put on an event, it's like a going out of business sale. They try to grab as much money as they can and run out of the room.

[Tom Segura]

You feel like we're gonna see an end to this, like, celebrity, you know, exhibition.

[Dana White]

I don't think so. I. I think that I. I say this, said this. That's what this, the UFC was based on. On the premise that people love fighting. And when you get the right fight in the right place at the right time, everybody wants to see a fight. I mean, if a fight just broke out out here, all three of us would run out there to go see what's going on. It's just human nature. Right. And you're gonna have these celebrity fights that people go, oh, I gotta see this. You know, it's.

[Tom Segura]

Do you think that I watch all.

[Bert Kreischer]

Of Jake Paul's fights?

[Dana White]

It's never.

[Bert Kreischer]

You can't. I can't not watch them.

[Tom Segura]

I miss. I saw a couple, whatever. One of the first one or two, and then I missed the last one. Do you think this Tyson one will draw big numbers? Because it's him.

[Dana White]

Yeah. Listen, he's been very strategic in his career and making sure that he handpicks the right guys. Yeah. And if this one actually ends up happening, Tyson's the. Tyson's the golden goose. Tyson's the one that actually, Jake Paul didn't sell pay per views.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Tyson will Sell back.

[Tom Segura]

You think we'll see a decent fight there, huh? Do you think we'll see a decent fight?

[Dana White]

Listen, Mike gets mad at me every time I talk about this, so. Yeah, I think it'll be a great fight, I think. Okay, but listen, I. What I want out of this is I hope Mike makes a shitload of money. And he will if this fight happens. And still want to see him get hurt?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah, sure. Last time we saw you, we were backstage at the slap fight thing.

[Bert Kreischer]

Slap fight?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

It was so good.

[Dana White]

It was so.

[Bert Kreischer]

Wait. It's like jerking off.

[Dana White]

It really is.

[Bert Kreischer]

It really is. It's not your wife. It's not an MMA fight, but it is nice. It is nice. Cowboy. He was, like, talking. He was in a white guy voice and we were like, yo, you gotta. You sound like we're us.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah, yeah. He was talking mad. When he was. When it was silent, he was like, that one. Shit.

[Bert Kreischer]

The people were like, oh, everyone was looking at me.

[Tom Segura]

When you. When you first saw. Did you first see this and have the thought? I. This is. This is something like, you know, I mean, it seems like a simple enough premise, right? So did you see it and go, I want to get involved.

[Dana White]

Well, you guys have been there live, so, you know, I mean, the live event is fucking unbelievable.

[Tom Segura]

It's very fun.

[Dana White]

So good. And I saw this in, like 2017 on social, like everybody did, and it was the guy Dumpling that fought at the last event. That was the guy that got me into it. I started watching it and production was horrible. They literally were slapping over like a barrel and shit like that, and. But it had 350 million views on YouTube in 2017 or 18, which was the equivalent of a Bieber video back then.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And I was like, what the fuck? This is crazy. So I started taking a deeper dive into it, and the stuff was coming out of Russia and Poland, and I was like, what if I did this? Made it just like the ufc? Turn it into a real sport, you know, give it great production quality, build a great in house live show. What would this do? And the answer is fucking billions of views. We already have 17 million followers on social media in 19 months. Right. And we have more sponsors than the ufc had in 10 years.

[Tom Segura]

Jesus.

[Dana White]

So in 19 months, things like anywhere between. If you. If you did a real valuation on it, anywhere between $750 and $1 billion.

[Tom Segura]

Wow. Jesus.

[Dana White]

In 19 months.

[Bert Kreischer]

So here's my question. So we're all wealthy men in this room, but we're all morons, really?

[Dana White]

Yeah. I Don't disagree.

[Bert Kreischer]

How do we. Who measures your ideas? Like, where? Because I think I know who you are based on Joe talking about you. You're just a dude from Boston that got slapped in the head a couple times and really, like fighting. And, like, you're a regular guy. You really are a regular guy who watched a bunch of people fuck up and then didn't choose those decisions. But, like, how do you. When you have an idea, like investing a ton of money in something like that, who do you bounce those ideas off of?

[Dana White]

Nobody. I'm at the point now where, like, if I have an idea, everybody's in.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Really?

[Dana White]

Everybody's in? Oh, yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Does that make me nervous?

[Dana White]

And then. No, I am. So you guys both know Hunter. You know what I mean? Yeah. My guy Hunter.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Hunter says you are the most excessive risk taker that I've ever seen. You have. You. You have the. The highest risk tolerance of anybody I've ever met in my life. And like you were saying earlier, like, you know, if nothing's going, if there's no chaos in my life.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

I create it. Like, I like to create chaos. I love stress. I don't even consider it stress.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

I. I like to solve problems.

[Tom Segura]

It's how you're wired.

[Dana White]

And I like to try to. I like to win.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And when you tell me this is horrible and this isn't going to work.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

I love it. Even though that's what really gets me going. So haters.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Are my favorite people on earth. I love the haters, man. They. You can either. If you don't like haters, you better stay the off social media. You know what I mean? I love that.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

It's. It's. It's.

[Tom Segura]

It fuels you.

[Dana White]

It's my favorite.

[Tom Segura]

I remember that when we were backstage, I think it was Lorenzo there. I think he was also at the slap fight.

[Dana White]

Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.

[Tom Segura]

And he was just like, oh, yeah. Dana just called and said, I want to do this. And I was less like, okay, sounds. Whatever you want to do.

[Dana White]

If I called the fertittas right now, I said, hey, I want to get in the business where we make these fucking chains that hang off the lights. They're in.

[Tom Segura]

They're in.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah, they're in.

[Tom Segura]

It's awesome.

[Bert Kreischer]

Jesus Christ.

[Dana White]

So we. I called those guys to invest with me, and I said, listen, I fucking like the slap fighting. I think I want to do it. You in? Renzo's like, we're in. When he says we, him and Frank are in. Him and his brother. And so we invest a couple million bucks each at the time. Ari, you know, from wme.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

My partner now in ufc, he's not feeling it, so he could have came in for as much as he wanted. Ari comes in for 12%. Okay, so Ari's in for 12%, and so everybody kicks their money in. Let me put it to you this way. Ari has 12%. They've already made, like, 9 to $10 million off that 12% investment on. On Power slab, you know what I mean? And he's kicking himself in the ass.

[Tom Segura]

Of course.

[Dana White]

He's going to be all in next time. Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

The next phone call, for sure.

[Dana White]

Mm.

[Bert Kreischer]

Is that a Boston mentality that. That. Because I'm Boston. I was telling Tom earlier, we're both Florida guys. And there's a thing about when you're a Florida guy and you're this guy that rips his shirt off and talks shit and you're very confident, you think you're the funniest guy in the room, and then you look at, like, different states. A Texas guy's got a strong handshake, you know? But there's a thing about you Boston guys. It's, like, sneaky, smart, you know, like Bill Burr, you, Rogan. Like you guys. Is that a Boston thing?

[Dana White]

Well, I'll tell you what I think, in my opinion, that I was really lucky is that when I was in fifth grade, my mom packed me, my sister, and our dog up and we drove to Las Vegas because my mom was a nurse, and they were paying nurses more in Las Vegas than anywhere else in the country. That's why we moved out here. So I was very lucky in that I got to bounce back and forth between the east coast and the West Coast. I think having both of those experiences and the people that I knew and the people that I met being around casinos at that age and the way Vegas was and the way Boston was back then, like we were talking about earlier, it was. It was. It was really good. And me and my sister were talking the other day, and this is crazy. So from fifth grade, so I went to fourth grade there, came to fifth grade to Vegas. I did fifth grade and sixth grade here, Right. Went to two different schools. I went to Gene Ward Elementary. Then I went to Kit Carson. Sixth grade, center. Seventh grade. I went back to Maine, where my grandparents lived. I went to school in Maine, seventh grade, eighth grade. I came back here and went to Jesus St. Viater's. Ninth grade, Gorman. Went to, like, four different high schools in Vegas. Then my senior Year I graduated from Maine. So I literally went to a million different schools, had to meet a million different people, had the. You know, I had all these incredible experiences with lots of different people, which I think was. Was huge for me at a young age back then, too, because back then, you know, when you're talking about in. In the. In the 70s, 80s, and early 90s, kids didn't move around a lot and travel and do. I was everywhere, everywhere meeting all different types of people, and I think that was a huge experience for me.

[Bert Kreischer]

You never wish it on your child. Like, you'd never go, like, yo, this will be good for my kid. I'm moving them around. Like, you'd be like, lock down. Make friends.

[Dana White]

But you know what was badass? My daughter, again, bringing up my daughter. She. We were on vacation in Italy last year around Christmas, and she tells me, you know what? I want to leave Las Vegas, and I want to move to San Diego, and I want to go to Cathedral High School. I'm like, what the fuck? She's like, yeah, I want to surf every day when I wake up. And my kids have been surfing since they were little. They're all really good surfers, snowboarders, all that. She's like, I want to surf every day before and after school, and I just want to change. And I'm like, that's badass. Okay, done. We'll make it happen. Get her into Cathedral. She loves the school. Surfs all the time, you know, so, yeah, it's just because of my experiences.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

I'm not like one of those. No, you're not going to leave. Fucking. You're going to. Okay, you little badass. You want to go change schools and start all over? That's in the middle of your high school. Fucking.

[Tom Segura]

That's a real choice.

[Dana White]

Done.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah, she loves it.

[Dana White]

She's kicking ass down there, and she fucking loves it.

[Bert Kreischer]

You seem like a really good dad, and it's a crazy thing to say.

[Dana White]

That's the greatest compliment you can give me.

[Bert Kreischer]

Can I. Can I tell you, man, like, I don't look at you as, like, a dad, and I look at Joe as a dad. I absolutely don't look at Joe as a dad. I really don't. I look at Joe. I don't look at Joe as the way anyone else looks at Joe.

[Tom Segura]

Why is that?

[Bert Kreischer]

I look at him as a. Like, I really do. I honestly do. My favorite thing Joe Rogan's ever said to me in the world is he goes. He said one time, he goes, can you imagine if we could throw fish 10ft in the air, and they started flying. How many fish do you think we'd have?

[Tom Segura]

What?

[Bert Kreischer]

And I could not stop laughing. And that is my. That is who Joe Rogan is for.

[Dana White]

Me, for the rest of my life. That's what makes Rogan a genius. You know what I mean?

[Bert Kreischer]

That's Joe Rogan for the rest of my life.

[Dana White]

What makes Rogan a genius is that Rogan comes up with this shit that you're like, wow. Yeah, I never really fucking thought about that. Yeah, he thinks about shit that.

[Tom Segura]

He likes to go deep.

[Dana White]

Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Let's celebrate him for one second, because I don't think. I don't think anyone knows him, like. And it's the number one question that gets asked to me is like, yo, what's Joe Rogan like? And I go, you'll never. I can't explain it to you. He's the sweetest guy in the world, and he's very curious. He's one of the most curious guys, and you met him at a very young age. I'm curious to know, like, the transformation, because we could talk about the different outfits he wears since you've known him from the fucking. The. He wore the. What was the fighting outfit?

[Dana White]

The Affliction, and now he dresses like. Unfortunately, we all went through that affliction phase. I wish we could erase that fucking period from the Internet. But when. So when we first bought the ufc, the company was based in New York, so I had to fly out there and clean out the offices. So I had to determine what I was going to ship back to Vegas and what I was going to throw away. So I'm literally. There's a room of just tapes everywhere. So I'm popping all these tapes in the vcr, right? And I pop in the Keenan Ivory Way In Show. He had his own talk show.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And he has Joe Rogan on the Fear Factor guy. I know this clip, Right?

[Bert Kreischer]

Keep going.

[Dana White]

So Joe Rogan is talking about. He gets into uas, and you're into this UFC stuff, huh? Like, UFC wasn't a thing.

[Tom Segura]

Right.

[Dana White]

Cult following, you know, and all this. Everybody saw one, and then it sort of disappeared. So Rogan starts talking and he's. You know, he knows everything about the sport, and then he starts talking about how UFC fighters would beat the. Out of all these celebrities, you know, that do martial arts movies, and. And he's breaking down what they would do to him. And I'm like, this guy's great.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And this is exactly what I need. I need Somebody that knows the sport but is in that Hollywood world and at that time was a massive show. Yeah, it was massive on. On network television. And I'm like, this is the guy. This is the guy I need. And I. And I. I don't remember how we ended up reaching out, but I reached out to him somehow. We started to talk, we hit it off, and I wanted him to come in and commentate, and, you know, we're bleeding money. Yeah, bleeding money. So Rogan comes in, and Rogan says, so let me get this straight. You want me to cover the sport that I love the most in the world, sit in the best seats in the house and talk about, yeah, I'll do it for free. Rogan came in and did, like, the first 13 events for free.

[Tom Segura]

Wow.

[Dana White]

Right?

[Tom Segura]

Wow.

[Dana White]

And he and I have had this, you know, amazing relationship. Rogan and I don't have this relationship where we talk every day, you know?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

We talk when we need to talk.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And anytime that I've ever needed him to do something, he's done it and been there. Anytime he's ever needed anything from me, I've done it and been there. And. And if you look at how the UFC has grown and how you. Rogan has grown together, incredible. At the same time, it's been an incredible relationship, you know, and I consider him the greatest to ever do it. All these guys that have ever done any. Any type of commentating on. On combat sports before this.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah. No, he's.

[Dana White]

Rogan is by far. And this is the other thing that I loved about Rogan. Every time you would see him on camera, right. And he would be talking about the fights that night, you knew. You felt it in your soul.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

This guy was not a paid talking head. This motherfucker loves this. And this is 100%. It came through in every event that we did.

[Tom Segura]

It's. It's. He's clearly, clearly, clearly a massive, genuine, authentic fight fan, period. Like, yep, he loves fights. When he works out at home, if. If he's caught up on ufc, he's watching Muay Thai, he's watching. Like, it's just fights, fights, fight. You know, he lives fights. And the crazy. One of the craziest things I've seen, like, I'm a sports fan. I also, you know, as somebody who, like, I love football, too. Like, I, I.

[Dana White]

You.

[Tom Segura]

You grow up kind of with an affection for certain broadcasters. Right. Like how they call the game.

[Dana White]

Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

And then with the way that things have evolved, you sometimes learn about how these guys prepare to Call a game. You know, you'll see, like, in football, they'll. They'll. They'll land earlier in the week. They have media day. They hang out with the players, and they prep, and they have to, you know, to call a game. There's a lot of moving parts, right? And so I'm. I'm working with Joe a few times that we're doing shows that are basically attached to UFC fights. You know, so we go in and. And, you know, he's. He's with another guy who's going to call the fight. I think back then, it was green.

[Dana White]

Was it Goldie?

[Tom Segura]

Goldie, yeah. So. And you're seeing Goldie with, like, his binder, you know, like, preparing, doing all this stuff. And I'm with Joe, and I'm like, where's. Like, where's your stuff? And he's like, oh, I don't. I don't have that. I'm like, what do you mean? He's like, I like. It's all up here.

[Dana White]

And I go, rogan knows people that aren't even in the ufc, dude.

[Tom Segura]

He's doing this thing where he goes. I go, what do you. Like, I don't understand, though. But you're about to call. Like, you're doing a professional commentating. Like, don't you have to. He goes. He goes, here's the thing. The only thing I like that's just fascinating me. He's like, the only sport I like is fighting. He goes, so there's nothing cluttering up here with, like, baseball stats or golf. He's like, it's just fights. But then you're doing. He's doing, like, the talking head, like, promo stuff, and they're like, okay, this fight. And he's referencing from memory. Well, in UFC 221, when he. And I'm like, wait, you're just off your dome doing this? I couldn't believe it. Goes in there, calls the whole fight, nails everything. And I'm like, I can't believe as a broadcaster that you're able to do that just off the top of your head.

[Dana White]

And here's the other brilliant thing. Like, to go in and call fights is not. Not easy to do. No, it's very hard to do. Rogan came in right off the. Off the bat and started doing it. And. And what was brilliant about Joan and why he was so instrumental and helping us build the sport? Nobody was ever going to understand the ground game. It was just. It's just, you know, Rogan would walk you through in detail while it was happening. He would be one step ahead of the fighter, actually. Yeah. You know, as it was taking place, walking you through. And this is what's going to happen. If he can get over here and tip that arm and he's going to get him in. And Rogan would lay it out. We couldn't hire anybody else that would have done it. You know what I mean? It was just when there's these weird things in life. And I'm sure you guys could. Could lay out a hundred things that played out in a weird way in your life.

[Tom Segura]

Yes.

[Dana White]

That have you sitting here on this couch today.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And Rogan and I. I was supposed to pop that tape in. I was supposed to see Rogan. Rogan was supposed to be on Fear Factor. And then I would. And then I would see it. What are the odds that he's on Ivory Keenan Wayans. And what's the odd that. That. That Keenan would ask him these questions? I mean, when you start breaking life down in these little, little things. You know what I mean? It's just like a magic moment. Crazy. And it was meant to be, this relationship with me and Rogan and all the other things that have come together in my life and his life and other people's lives. Just fucking crazy when you think about it. But Rogan is the best to ever do it.

[Bert Kreischer]

Oh, the best to ever do it, buddy. He's. I'll say this. I'm gonna say this. He's the best guy that I've ever met in my entire life. And I've met a lot of great guys. Here's my next question. I name drop him a lot. I do. I obviously do. I'm a name dropper. I'm a regular human being. I'm a regular guy, right. If I get on a private jet, I take a picture, I show everyone. Who do you name drop?

[Dana White]

Who do I name drop?

[Bert Kreischer]

Who's the last person that you saw yourself as Dana White? Just the kid that grew up in Boston.

[Dana White]

Well, I don't know if it's name dropping, but, you know, when we're talking about the Sphere, I've been doing.

[Bert Kreischer]

Oh, shut the up. Let's talk about the Sphere.

[Dana White]

I've been doing PR for the Sphere. I leave tomorrow and go to New York. I'm doing media in New York. Then I fly straight to la, do media there. Then I come back home Tuesday and we start rehearsing for the Sphere. But I mean, if you want to call it Name Drop. And my last name drop was. I wouldn't have gone this is. Again, like, we just talked about the Rogan thing.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

So Tom Brady hits me up, hits me up and says, you want to go to you, too, this weekend at the Sphere? And I'm like, yeah, all right, let's do it. I'll go. So we go to the Sphere. It's like the first, you know, they probably done a week worth of shows the second week. And we get inside the Sphere, and you know, Jim Dolan, the owner of the Sphere, we're in his box and we're watching this fucking thing. And I'm sitting there going, holy shit. And I realize the Sphere is the star of the show, not you too, Right?

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

So when you go out. So as soon as we leave the Sphere, the Eagles move in. So I'm going to the fucking Eagles after we. After we do this. But what happens when you're in there is you. You're looking at this fucking screen and these images, and you've never seen anything like this before.

[Bert Kreischer]

Nothing.

[Dana White]

And you're listening to this music, the fucking YouTube's greatest songs, you know, and you're listening to music. And I'm like, the Sphere is the star of this fucking show. And every once in a while, peek over the thing and I'll look down at you two. I'm watching the show. I go. And everybody's saying, you can never hold a sporting event here. You can't. It just doesn't work.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

So I'm like, yeah, I'm going to fucking do a sporting event here.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

I literally call my. My. My head of production, Craig Borsari, and I said, I don't know what you're doing next weekend, but cancel it. You're coming to the Sphere with the team. I want to. I want to do an event here. I want you to walk this place and fucking figure out how to do this. So I leave that night. I get into it. I've been with MGM since the beginning of doing fights in Vegas. They own all the big arenas. They me so many times, the guys who run the arena, just me and me and. Can't stop me and they me again. Okay. Yeah, huge boy. I freak out and someone bring ice in. We're supposed to sign an extension with them. I'm not going to sign the extension and all this. So Bill Hornbuckle, who is the head of all of mgm.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

You know, gets in the middle of this. This is between me and the arena guys. Right?

[Tom Segura]

Right.

[Dana White]

Gets in the middle of this thing to try to fix it. So he comes over to my Office. And I tell him. He's like, what? Can we do this? That I want Mexican Independence Day.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

They me, I had it last year. They me and gave it to Heyman without even talking to me, asking me, telling me to go myself, whatever.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

No call.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

No, nothing. Right. So I tell Bill Hornbuckle, I want sphere. I want the sphere. Give me the sphere. Give me the sphere the same night. So he says, yes. So, you know, I'm under contract with them. They could just say, fuck you, you're not getting the sphere. I get the sphere. So I go with Brady, I get in a beef with mgm, I want the sphere they give me. Let's just. The way this whole thing the best.

[Tom Segura]

Is telling these stories.

[Dana White]

This was meant to happen.

[Tom Segura]

Imagine Roger Goodell telling a story like this.

[Bert Kreischer]

Well, I mean, we've got a lot of players, challenges. Keep going, keep going, keep going. My dick's hard.

[Dana White]

This was supposed to happen. This. This. This event was supposed to happen. As usual, we're going to be first. We're going to go in and show the world how this is done.

[Tom Segura]

I'm fascinated to see how you do this.

[Bert Kreischer]

Have you not seen. So have you not been to the Sphere?

[Tom Segura]

No.

[Bert Kreischer]

You said something very prolific and that the Sphere is the event. I could have just had them play a U2 CD and been very cool with it. I don't need you, too. And I also.

[Dana White]

But when you think about it, the fact that while you're sitting in there and you're listening to this, you're listening to you two live.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

It's just a different experience for what you do.

[Tom Segura]

Will you reconfigure?

[Bert Kreischer]

Have you not seen layout?

[Tom Segura]

Wait, hold on.

[Bert Kreischer]

These soccer guys. These soccer guys. I know what you're doing, and I don't know what you're doing, but I know what you're doing, and I know how prolific this is going to be. You know, Leanne is my wife. Leanne is obsessed with Michael Chandler.

[Dana White]

Oh, really?

[Bert Kreischer]

She touched his body a couple of times and now she's, like, fucking wet for Michael Chandler. And she was like, are we going to go see Michael Chandler fight? And I was like, baby, no, we're not. But. But I know what you're going to do. I know what you're going to do, and I know that you can't sell what you're going to do kind of, right?

[Dana White]

So here's. Here's the thing. Here's. So when I tell you that when you go into these things, right, like the fucking. I love the Eagles, man. Fucking big Eagles fan. So I'm going to. I'm so excited to see what they're going to. But you're listening to the fucking Eagles play, and I fucking love Joe Walsh. You're still delivers.

[Bert Kreischer]

He still delivers.

[Dana White]

Anyway, you're going to listen to the fucking Eagles play, and whatever they're going to do on the screen, it's just. It's fucking. I love it. Right?

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

So I get it and I love it. So the night the Eagles play, which is one of my favorite bands of all time, the Sphere will be the star. But you're going to be listening to the fucking Eagles live. So what I have to do is I have to go in and the Sphere can be the star of the show, but not during the fight. So how do you fucking have the sphere that is the star, yet you. Everybody has to pay attention to the fight. And then everything that we do that night, production wise, it's when sports and entertainment will truly come together. Because we're going to run a movie. There's going to be a movie that is going to be what I call the Love Letter to Mexico. Right. I'm fascinated by Mexico and Mexicans as a people. When you think about Mexicans, right, first of all, their flag. Do you realize this? They're the only national flag that depicts a fight on their flag. It's. It's an eagle and a serpent fighting on the. On the Mexican flag. Right. And when you think about things that are said about Mexican people, what's the first thing that pops up is they're all hard workers.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Mexicans are hardworking people. Right. They're proud people. They're very fucking proud of who they are and where they come from. They're proud of their heritage. They're all about family, and they're all about family traditions that they have. You know, and the grandmother is usually the patriarch of the family, and everybody talks about her food and learns to cook the way that she did. And the one thing about Mexicans is they are incredibly loyal people to their own people. So they will work their ass off all week and they'll take that paycheck and they'll go buy the Mexican beer that they love and drink. They'll go out and support other Mexican. If it's a concert, a sporting event, a fight, you know, they support their own people.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And this, this night and this movie is going to start at the beginning of time and it's going to end in the future of Mexico. And it's a movie that is this love letter to the Mexican. Who they are, where they came from, their traditions, who they are as a people.

[Tom Segura]

And again, you're having to produce this whole film.

[Dana White]

Yeah, there's gonna be a film that will.

[Bert Kreischer]

This is gonna be a fucking epic event.

[Tom Segura]

And you have this.

[Bert Kreischer]

Are you sold out already? It's sold out immediately.

[Dana White]

Badass. I made sure that this was so authentic that we have a guy that's actually authenticates everything we do to make sure it's on with tradition. Everything else and everybody involved is Mexican. First generation Mexican, even. We have nine octagon girls, and they're all first generation Mexican that will go that night, the clothing that they will wear, the scenes that will be in the authenticity of their heritage, their traditions, their history, all of that shit. Holy shit. It's 100% authentic.

[Bert Kreischer]

Can I ask you the weird question? What's your gate on something like this? Like, what this is. You don't have to answer, but this is a comedian. I know what we make when we do a show. I've always been curious when you. How much money do you make? So, like, when, like, you do a show, like, when you do an event. We know as a comic, we roll in, sometimes we bring a stage with us.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Maybe 1.3 for, like, for, like, three months. And then I know what we make per night. Like, how much money do you make?

[Dana White]

Yeah, we know going into what the gate's going to be.

[Bert Kreischer]

For real?

[Dana White]

Yeah. So this fight for Mexican Independence Day, biggest gate in UFC history, it's going to be a $23 million gate.

[Bert Kreischer]

Jesus Christ.

[Dana White]

And we. It already broke the record for most pre buys ever for any event we've ever had. Meaning more people have already bought the pay per view already the week before the fight than any other fight we've ever done.

[Tom Segura]

Jesus. Yeah, and you're the one who actually has real knowledge when it comes to. Because so many people talk about their pay per views. You're the one who always goes, that's a pay per view. Like, because you know what it looks like.

[Dana White]

100. Yeah. Everybody. Everybody's full of, man.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Really?

[Dana White]

Everybody's a expert. Nobody, nobody out there anywhere knows anything about our business, how it's done. You know why? Because things we're doing have never been done before. Everything that I have done in the fight business has never been done before.

[Tom Segura]

It's amazing. It's incredible, dude. You know, watching you operate is a. Is a fun thing, and I, I love that, that you're so candid that you talk about this stuff. Because it's also. It's like, you know, it's inspiring. It's also fun to learn. It's like, it's fun to learn about the. How these things work. And you. Like I said, you can't have this conversation with the. Fucking. With Silver, the NBA or like, you know, they just give you, like, it's.

[Dana White]

Well, thank you. I appreciate it.

[Tom Segura]

It's fine. I asked one more dad question.

[Dana White]

Yeah. Love it.

[Tom Segura]

So because my boys are little, you have two boys that are in their 20s now.

[Dana White]

Yep.

[Tom Segura]

As a, as a dad to boys, do you have to raise them a little different?

[Dana White]

Yeah. Yeah, totally different. So I have two boys and a daughter. The way my son's raised is the complete opposite of the way my daughter was raised. Yeah, girls are different, and especially when you're a father of a girl. And I love the fact that. That both my boys were older than my daughter. So she's the baby of the family. Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

My dad raised me differently than my sisters, so.

[Dana White]

100%.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

But the first thing, the first thing you got to do, no matter what your kids, I thought as a dad, especially with me being your dad, was to teach them how to fight. So my kids got into jiu jitsu and boxing and Muay Thai and all that shit when they were young. And yeah, I was definitely different with, you know, my, My boys could do that my daughter couldn't do. And, you know, and of course, you know, my boys think that the daughter gets away with everything. Of course. And my daughter thinks that they got to do everything and she doesn't get to do with it. And I say, well, that's a fact. Yes. Some things that give a. What your brothers did.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And what I used to tell my boys every weekend when they went out, right. You're gonna meet some nameless, faceless girls tonight. Right. You don't know. But what I want you to remember is they have a father. Hopefully they have a father. Brothers, uncles, I don't know who. Somebody that really cares about them. So remember that when you meet some girls tonight, you be respectful if some dude shows up here looking to kill one of you, you know what I mean? I will determine whether. Whether. Whether or not I. I help you. Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

So, yeah, that's old school 1987 parenting right there. Yeah, that is great.

[Tom Segura]

Well, this is.

[Dana White]

So some went down last night with my daughter at a football game and modern day played Gorman.

[Tom Segura]

Yes.

[Dana White]

I. Big, big time high school football game. And I had my son's calling me saying somebody did something with Savvy and blah, blah, blah, blah. And, you know, your daughter's going to Savannah. My daughter's name is Savannah, so. So we call her Savvy and we're gonna. I said, relax. Everybody calm down. Whatever. So told everybody relax last night. It's like 1:00 in the morning, so I. I'm getting into the cold plunge. This morning, I get my daughter on speakerphone. What happened last night? Walk me through what happened with this kid. You know, some. Apparently some kid was getting aggressive with her or whatever. I don't know. So I want to hear the story from her. So she starts to walk me through the story and what it sounds like, sounded like flirting gone bad. You know what I mean? You know, at that age, this kid was, you know.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

She was with her friends from San Diego and, you know, this and that. And, you know, I said, yeah, this isn't. This isn't. This isn't a. Yeah, we're not gonna. Yeah, exactly.

[Bert Kreischer]

So wait before we lose you, because I just. Your health is impressive. And I'm curious. Two questions. I want to know what your day looks like. I want to know how busy you are. Do you wake up with your hair on fire? And the one thing that I know, that I seem to wake up, and the second I put my feet on the ground, it's like my day starts. I don't have any moments for myself or to be creative, but I'm dying to know what your day looks like and a little bit of put your health in there stuff.

[Dana White]

So I'm at a point now where, you know, in building this business, I. I threw everything at the business. I didn't miss a fight for, like, something crazy, like 17 years, something. I remember what the number was, but I didn't miss one fight anywhere in the world.

[Bert Kreischer]

Do you have any regrets as a dad about that?

[Dana White]

Huh?

[Bert Kreischer]

Do you have any regrets? No.

[Dana White]

It was awesome.

[Bert Kreischer]

Me either. Them.

[Dana White]

No, no. I, I. You. I'll tell you what I was lucky with. As technology got better, I had the biggest production facility in Las Vegas. So if I was going to miss a game or a play or something like that, I watched it live. I'd have my team show up and they'd film it. They were filming football games for me.

[Tom Segura]

Pretty cool.

[Dana White]

I watched it live.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

So I would literally interact with the kids after the, after the thing.

[Tom Segura]

Wow.

[Dana White]

Game or play or whatever it was. I didn't miss a thing. I. I saw everything and awesome. And. And I have this, you know, like at ufc, if you work for ufc, So I worked in the hotel business when I. When I was young. Shittiest business to work for these guys. You know, you get these kids that just got out of college that are your. Your supervisor or boss or whatever, and they got that bullshit. If you're five minutes late, you get written up.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah. Yeah.

[Dana White]

Three of them. And you get a. This, that. So many. And you get fired. When you treat people. I don't even want to say something stupid, like slaves, like some victim bullshit, but, you know, when you treat people that way. Right. Tough at a job, it's just. It's disgusting.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

And it makes people wait. So let me get this. And. And the company that I used to work for used to tell us all the time, if you don't like it, there's a hundred people waiting for your job.

[Tom Segura]

Sure.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

Wow. I'm not. I'm that replaceable, huh? That's a great feeling, to go to work and every day and say, yeah, you don't even really matter.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

So at the ufc, if your kid has a play or your kid has a game or a practice, you. You better be there. You know what I mean?

[Tom Segura]

That's cool.

[Dana White]

We're all grownups, man. And my team, they're as passionate as I am about the sport. You're a grownup. You know what you need to do. You know what your fucking job is. You know what needs to get done. It's fight week or whatever, but don't. Don't not be a part of your family. Don't not be a part of your kid. I throw parties in the summertime, and I'll turn the whole. You know, we have this beautiful fucking backyard at UFC headquarters, and we turn it into a carnival, and bring your fucking kids and your family and let your wife and kids be a part of what you do. You know, I want. When. When my employees go to work, I want their family to love what they do and. And be a part of this thing. I. I've built, like, the best, strongest team.

[Tom Segura]

That's awesome.

[Dana White]

In business, in my opinion.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

You know, what's your day look like? I'm dying to know what your day looks like.

[Dana White]

Okay. I. I don't know how we ended up on that whole.

[Bert Kreischer]

No, no, no. By the way, we are totally welcome to be invited to one of those parties anytime. Yeah, we'll take pictures.

[Dana White]

We do concerts back there. And, you know, I have an amphitheater in the. In the back of the. I mean, you guys could comedy back there. You could do anything. And we got the Apex next door. We have the amphitheater in the. In the backyard, and we have the Apex next door. But when I throw Christmas parties like Kid Rock, Snoop, we had.

[Bert Kreischer]

We would love to hear those.

[Dana White]

Oh, we. We. The Red Hot Chili Peppers have played.

[Bert Kreischer]

Okay.

[Dana White]

We've had, like, everybody has played Fly Ourselves out on Nelly. Played last year. He killed it. Anyway, it's a fun to be a UFC employee. Let me just say that it is. So when I get up in the.

[Tom Segura]

Morning, Dana wakes up.

[Dana White]

I focus on my health. Now, the first two hours of my day, no matter what the is going on, is dead, is dedicated to my health.

[Bert Kreischer]

Describe that. What time are you waking up?

[Dana White]

So I get a. I get to the gym every day between 8:30 and 9:30 in the morning.

[Bert Kreischer]

I like that.

[Dana White]

And I do an hour of workout and an hour of recovery, and then I start my day. So. But it's there. I built this whole thing in my office. It's in my office. Cold plunge, steam, sauna, red light therapy, oxygen therapy. Baddest fucking gym you've ever seen. With every piece of equipment, an assistant.

[Bert Kreischer]

In there running questions by you or no.

[Dana White]

So everybody comes. So shit's happening as soon as we wake up, like you said, shit's going on. They all just come to the gym. This, that. What do we want to do? I tell them, you know, and food wise.

[Tom Segura]

Food wise. Are you a protein centric guy?

[Dana White]

Well, that's the other thing. I have a full kitchen with two chefs that. That cook, you know, food for me. And yeah, it's keto. I eat keto.

[Tom Segura]

Your keto. Okay.

[Dana White]

Yeah. Love keto.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah, we're all keto.

[Tom Segura]

We're all keto bros. That's awesome, man.

[Dana White]

Yeah.

[Tom Segura]

And.

[Dana White]

And no matter where. So I have to fly to. I fly to New York tomorrow to start doing PR for the Sphere. There will be a cold plunge in my room, in my hotel room in New York. But I fucking wake up in the morning, jump right in the cold plunge.

[Tom Segura]

And what temp do you like? What's your temp?

[Dana White]

50.

[Tom Segura]

50?

[Dana White]

45. 50? In that ballpark.

[Tom Segura]

Nice. Look, man, we could talk to you forever.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah, I'm sorry, man. You're fucking amazing. You are fucking amazing.

[Tom Segura]

We'd love to see you at a fight. But more importantly, next time I come to Vegas, I would love to hit the baccarat table with you.

[Dana White]

Done.

[Tom Segura]

I would love to text you.

[Bert Kreischer]

And I would love to do September 27th to 28th. I'm at the. Where am I?

[Tom Segura]

I don't know.

[Bert Kreischer]

I am where am I? September 27th, the 28th. I'm at Resorts World Theater. Dude, I would love to play baccarat with you. I love the gamble feeling. I love the tickle. That's the thing I want. You're the best brother.

[Dana White]

So let me ask you a question before we wrap this, this up. So you love the tickle. You love. So what, what, what? What's your number for per hand? What do you want to bet per hand?

[Bert Kreischer]

I had John Mayer asked me this. And it's the number that makes you uncomfortable.

[Tom Segura]

Okay.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah, yeah. Name drop.

[Tom Segura]

Name drop.

[Bert Kreischer]

The number that makes you uncomfortable is the number that is your tickle.

[Tom Segura]

Right.

[Bert Kreischer]

$250,000.

[Tom Segura]

That's gamble on a hand.

[Dana White]

Yeah, per hand.

[Bert Kreischer]

Oh, not per hand. That's my. Oh, that's my marker. My marker.

[Dana White]

Okay.

[Tom Segura]

That's more than I.

[Dana White]

So you take a $250,000 marker, which probably. I would imagine. So your limit is probably 10,000 a hand. Right.

[Bert Kreischer]

I don't know how it works. I've never gambled like this, but, like, I had to come up with a number that makes me excited. That, like, I would not want to spend on a watch, but I'd spend on a watch.

[Dana White]

You know Taylor Lewan, right?

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yes, I do.

[Tom Segura]

Oh, yeah. Do you know that I know a lot of.

[Dana White]

No, no, no.

[Bert Kreischer]

Tell her real quick. Tell her real quick.

[Tom Segura]

We text all the time.

[Bert Kreischer]

Real quick.

[Dana White]

Terror Lejuan started gambling with me, probably around Power Slap one, which was almost two years ago. Yeah, he's never lost. Yes, he's up. He's up. He's got to be next to 2 million.

[Tom Segura]

He sends me photos of cash that he's like, I just. I just left the casino with Dana.

[Dana White]

Like, never lost. The only time he's lost is when he plays without me. Then I got to go back, and we got to get him out of the hole and get him back on. And there was one night that he was leaving at like 6 in the morning. We were still there. We were grinding one night. We were getting. We were getting beat that night, and he lost. And I want to say it was like, it might have been 100,000 or 150, but, you know, he lost tonight. But. But he's never. Meaning he's never lost. Meaning he's up two fucking million dollars.

[Tom Segura]

Right?

[Dana White]

He's never, ever paid the casino, ever.

[Tom Segura]

It's insane.

[Dana White]

In his entire fucking career.

[Bert Kreischer]

I mean, I'm in for $250,000. I'll tell you what. Let's make a clean three. September 27th.

[Dana White]

But here's the thing. And this is what I do with Taylor.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

What's your number? That we quit. How much do you want to win? You're going to, you're going to get a marker for $250,000.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yes.

[Dana White]

Right. And let's assume. I'm assuming they're gonna let you play ten thousand a hand at two hundred and fifty.

[Bert Kreischer]

Okay.

[Dana White]

Because they have like four hundred fifty thousand dollar hands. You have to have a ten million dollar credit line. Okay. So.

[Bert Kreischer]

Right.

[Dana White]

I'm assuming they're gonna let you pay 10 a hand. What is the number that you want to walk away with? What do you want to win that night?

[Bert Kreischer]

I'm gonna say a ridiculous numbers. I don't know. Money. Like a million dollars.

[Dana White]

A million dollars. That's a big fuck. You're. You have a $250,000. Okay. You can play 10,000. I don't know.

[Tom Segura]

How about if you were. If you were to win. If I was to win $100,000.

[Bert Kreischer]

If I want a hundred thousand dollars, I could pay Bobby Lee and I'll be good.

[Tom Segura]

Hey, Bobby Lee.

[Bert Kreischer]

I can pay 10 grand, you know.

[Dana White]

Okay.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah, but like 100 grand, is that a lot?

[Dana White]

Yeah, but. But we'll do it.

[Bert Kreischer]

Okay. I'm gonna be at Resorts World September 27th, 28th. I got $250,000 marker. We'll go to your casino, we're going to play baccarat. And I'm cool at $100,000.

[Dana White]

Okay. All right. Did you ever see the video with Dave Portnoy?

[Tom Segura]

Yes, I did.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yes.

[Dana White]

We're literally. I won the entire staff that was there with them that night.

[Tom Segura]

Incredible.

[Dana White]

I said, what do you want to win? They told me we won it. What do you want to win? Got it. What do you want to win?

[Bert Kreischer]

I can't wait. I can't wait.

[Tom Segura]

I'm going to book a separate trip to do this.

[Dana White]

Okay.

[Tom Segura]

I'm gonna. I'm gonna come out when I'm here. I don't think I'm probably working that.

[Bert Kreischer]

No, you're not. Just.

[Tom Segura]

You don't know that. I'm.

[Bert Kreischer]

Danny can make you a hundred thousand dollars.

[Dana White]

Okay.

[Tom Segura]

Okay.

[Bert Kreischer]

All right.

[Tom Segura]

No, we'll come up with a number. We'll come up with a number.

[Bert Kreischer]

Dude, you're special, dude. I'm so glad that you're healthy. And I mean that for real. Like a guy like you needs to last forever.

[Dana White]

Oh, thank you. For real.

[Bert Kreischer]

I'm being serious.

[Dana White]

Once you start, great energy this way.

[Tom Segura]

Yeah.

[Dana White]

It becomes addictive drinking, bro. 100 it's like you're.

[Bert Kreischer]

It's that the booze is the thing.

[Dana White]

Not. Not drinking definitely helps. But even. Even when I was drinking, I wasn't a big drinker. You know, when I would drink, I would get fucking shitfaced. You know what I mean? Oh, yeah. When I would drink, I say, all right, I'm going to drink tonight. And then I wouldn't drink again for a month.

[Bert Kreischer]

Yeah, I was never that kind. Hey, what are you doing with your wine collection? Because I'm.

[Dana White]

What do you mean?

[Bert Kreischer]

I know. You are a wine guy, right?

[Dana White]

Yeah, well, I like wine, but I went through a wine phase. Yeah, but not anymore. Way too many carbs and wine. But I have a shitload of really good wine, so I actually. Sheikh talk noon from. From Abu Dhabi. I love that fucking guy. We couldn't have gone through Covid without him and Fight island and all that stuff. And one time I was out there, he gave me like, this collection of fucking badass wine that's still sitting in my. In my wine cellar.

[Bert Kreischer]

So can I. Can I just say what a cool life to happen to a regular guy.

[Dana White]

Thank.

[Bert Kreischer]

You know, like, I couldn't agree with.

[Dana White]

You more, but thank you.

[Bert Kreischer]

Like, you're a regular dude.

[Dana White]

I talk about this all the time. I love my life so much that I hate to go to sleep. I don't even like to sleep, man. I. I sleep this much, just. That's how much I love my life.

[Tom Segura]

That's awesome. We'll wrap up on that. Thanks for. Thanks, Dana. Thanks so much.

[Bert Kreischer]

See you guys. One goes topless while the other wears a shirt. Tom tells stories and burts the machine. There's not a chance in hell that they'll keep clean. Here's what we call two bears. One cave.