The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Episode: UFC President Dana White Joins The Herd
Date: September 9, 2025
Host: Colin Cowherd
Guest: Dana White (UFC President & CEO)
Podcast: iHeartPodcasts and The Volume
Episode Overview
This episode features a wide-ranging interview with UFC President Dana White. Colin Cowherd and Dana White discuss the evolution of sports broadcasting, pay-per-view’s future, UFC’s foray into boxing, Dana’s career philosophy, promoting at the highest level, working with business icons like Mark Zuckerberg, and how Las Vegas continues to thrive as a sports capital. The episode offers a look behind the curtain on combat sports’ biggest business decisions and White’s personal energy and approach.
Key Discussion Points & Insights
1. UFC’s Shift Away from Pay-Per-View (PPV)
- Decision Explained: White discusses UFC’s new deal with Paramount, moving fights off traditional PPV to accessible streaming and broadcast platforms.
- White: “The world is changing… All these streaming services… I was waiting for the moment. I knew that they were all eventually going to need live sports.” (34:36)
- Fan-Centric Approach: Colin praises the move for rewarding fans, noting the high cost of previous PPVs.
- Cowherd: “Finally somebody rewards the fans… when you made that decision, it’s counter to what boxing and UFC has been my entire life.” (34:06)
- Business Rationale: White frames it as an evolution of broadcasting, as cable “nosedives” and streaming rises.
2. Dana White’s Foray Into Promoting Boxing
- Upcoming Fight: White is promoting the Canelo Alvarez vs. Terence Crawford fight (“best fight in five to six years”), highlighting both fighters’ legacies and global appeal. (36:09)
- Cowherd: “Canelo Alvarez is the fighter of his generation… never been knocked down.” (36:16)
- White: “Crawford is willing to risk moving up in weight to fight him… If you’re a fight fan, this is [the one].” (36:19)
- Building a Boxing League: White reveals plans to launch a new league that develops boxing talent, akin to the UFC's Contender Series.
- White: “What I want to do is I want to build talent… like the Contender Series… I want to take these up-and-coming guys, 10-0, 12-0… put them together.” (36:52)
3. Business Philosophy & UFC's Rise
- Never Losing Faith: Cowherd asks if there was ever doubt during UFC’s struggling early years.
- White: “I always thought it was going to work. Just is the timing right?” (39:01)
- Rock Bottom Moment: Lorenzo Fertitta once considered pulling out; White reports they were $30-40 million invested with little to show.
- White: “Lorenzo called me one day and said, ‘I can’t keep doing this...’ We could maybe sell for $7 or $8 million and we were probably $40 million in at that time.” (39:01)
- White credits Fertitta’s “let’s keep going” attitude as pivotal (39:32)
4. Comparing UFC and Boxing Promotion
- Competitive Approach: White laments boxing’s “undefeated records” culture and says UFC fighters become champions by fighting the best, not “avoiding losses.” (40:10)
- White: “Everybody’s undefeated… because they won’t fight anybody. In the UFC… whatever division you’re in, you fight the toughest guys all the way up to become world champion, and Jon Jones did that…” (40:10)
- Talent Pipeline: As MMA grows, more fighters globally realize “they can make millions.” There’s no shortage of promising talent now. (41:00)
5. UFC’s Politics, Relationships, and Branding
- Trump Connection: White’s long friendship and mutual support with Donald Trump is discussed.
- White: “It’s not like I was getting political and choosing a side… This guy’s my friend. He’s been my friend forever… he’s a huge UFC fan, and he came before he even thought about running for president.” (41:53)
- On Personal Energy: Both Cowherd and White share that four to five hours of nightly sleep is their norm.
- White: “Anybody that tells you they sleep four, five hours a night, they’re full of crap… I literally sleep four or five hours a night. Trump sleeps less.” (42:58)
6. Major Upcoming UFC Events
- White House UFC Event: White describes planning a UFC event on the White House lawn, including security and logistics.
- White: “We went to the White House last week… We laid out all the renderings… Now all the work starts… this is the first time… the security is going to be a massive issue.” (44:22)
- Global Expansion: UFC has not yet been to Spain; otherwise, “the world is wide open” for events.
- White: “The world is wide open… we haven’t been to Spain yet… This Saturday I have two fights.” (46:04)
7. Canelo vs. Crawford – Fight Breakdown
- Fight Dynamics: White expects an aggressive, high-level clash—Crawford out to prove himself, Canelo as master counterpuncher.
- White: “I think he’s going to go after Canelo… Canelo is an unbelievable counterpuncher, great head movement and powerful… it’s going to be a war.” (47:16)
- Focusing on the Fan: White says his main concern is the live event experience, making sure fans feel their time and money are well spent. (51:52)
8. Business Leaders and Personal Growth
- Meta Board Seat: White is blown away by Mark Zuckerberg’s leadership and Meta’s board culture.
- White: “When Zuckerberg comes in and starts running this meeting, I am literally on the edge of the seat the whole time… His CFO is unbelievable… one of my favorite things to do, which I’d never in a million years dream I’d be that into.” (49:00)
9. Las Vegas – Always Booming
- Vegas as Sports Capital: Dispelling “doom” narratives, White claims Las Vegas is thriving with sports and entertainment.
- White: “This whole narrative… about Vegas… Vegas is always doing well. Vegas is booming this weekend… just one event… it’s ridiculous.” (52:43)
10. Vegas Recommendations
- Favorite Restaurant: Carbone (Italian) is the first pick for a special meal.
- White: “Carbone… always consistent… service is off the charts… great bar… great, great restaurant.” (53:53)
- Vegas as Sports Tourism Hub: With pro sports teams and world-class dining, Vegas is top destination for fans of all backgrounds.
Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments
-
Colin Cowherd on PPV Shift:
“Finally somebody rewards the fans.” (34:06) -
Dana White on Boxing Talent Model:
“I want to take these up-and-coming guys, 10-0, 12-0, and… like the undercard of Canelo vs. Crawford, the undercard is excellent… not just the main event.” (37:17) -
Dana White on the Hardest Point in UFC’s Rise:
“I always thought it was going to work… The question is, is the timing right?” (39:01)
“Lorenzo called me one day and said, ‘I can’t keep doing this…’” (39:01) -
On Friendship With Trump:
“It wasn’t really a political move for me… This guy’s my friend. He’s been my friend forever, so it wasn’t really that way for me.” (41:59) -
On Mark Zuckerberg:
“When Zuckerberg comes in… I am literally on the edge of the seat the whole time… His CFO is unbelievable… one of my favorite things to do.” (49:00) -
On Vegas Economy:
“Vegas is always doing well. Vegas is booming this weekend… over 60,000 people coming in for this fight in Vegas.” (52:43)
Timestamps for Important Segments
- UFC shifting away from PPV / Streaming Deals: 34:03 – 35:12
- Dana promoting Canelo vs. Crawford & future boxing plans: 35:12 – 37:50
- Early UFC financial struggles & turning points: 39:01 – 39:45
- Personal friendship with Trump & brand implications: 41:53 – 42:36
- Sleep, energy, and high-level entrepreneurship: 42:36 – 43:48
- White House UFC event logistics: 43:53 – 45:30
- Global expansion and favorite venues: 46:04 – 47:16
- Canelo vs. Crawford in-depth analysis: 47:16 – 47:54
- Meta board experience with Zuckerberg: 49:00 – 50:15
- Las Vegas as entertainment and sports hub: 52:34 – 54:52
- Vegas restaurant recommendation: 53:53 – 54:52
Tone & Style Highlights
- Candid & Conversational: White is direct, unfiltered, and businesslike but approachable.
- Colin’s Style: Probing, sometimes playful, always sharply topical and sports-centric.
- Energy: Both men riff on the power of drive, work ethic, and their love of live sports.
Conclusion
A revealing conversation with Dana White, this episode explores the intersection of sports business, media transformation, and combat sports culture. Listeners get candid perspectives on adapting to a streaming world, nurturing talent, and betting big—not just at the casino, but with one’s entire career. Whether you follow combat sports or just want to understand the mindset of a “maverick” sports executive, this episode delivers the goods.