Published 01/02/2023, 2:27 AM EST
Dana White is unquestionably the reigning monarch of combat sports today. And to hold the position he does, it’s not for everyone. Throughout the journey, he undoubtedly had to make a lot of sacrifices, as did everyone else who had been with him. Especially his loved ones, with whom White jeopardized his relationships in pursuit of the success of the UFC. But more than anyone else, his mother endured great suffering. That was ever since the day White was born. The UFC president’s mother chronicled her son’s life story in a book, detailing his development from birth to the man he is today. And in that book, she detailed how White had been a major source of hardships for his parents ever since his birth.
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Dana White brought along difficulties with his birth
June White described her as a challenge from the moment he was born, in her book, ‘Dana White, King of MMA: Dana White an unauthorized biography‘. She recounted the period when, as White’s parents, she and her husband were unable to cover the hospital bills and consequently found themselves in a ‘hostage-like’ situation.
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She penned, “Dana’s father and I had to set up a payment plan with the obstetricians caring for me, even though it would only be for a month or two. When I was discharged from the hospital after Dana was born, we had to go to the billing office on our way out of the hospital and the staff who worked in that department informed us we could not leave the hospital without paying our bill in full because we had no insurance.”
“I was being held hostage by the billing department. After much back and forth, they had us sign a contract agreeing to pay on a monthly installment plan, it felt like when we went to Wal-Mart and put our Christmas presents on lay-away. I thought, “If we miss a payment, what do they do? Make us return him” Dana was causing us problems and costing plenty from the very beginning of his life.” wrote June White.
But as Dana White grew older, things simply grew worse. And as a mother, she talked about how it felt to watch her child turn into an ‘ugly beast’ because of the power he began to acquire.
Power corrupted a son for his mother
As time passed, White’s relationship with his mother only got worse and more complicated; especially since he got involved with the UFC and tasted success. He became a tough nut to crack.
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She wrote in her book that, “The person I once knew changed into someone who is egotistical, self-centered, arrogant, and cruel.” Furthermore, she couldn’t wrap her head around what went wrong. She drew the conclusion that it was the money and power that corrupted her son.
“It is hard to say if what changed him so utterly was the extreme amount of money he came into so quickly, the influence of those around him, or how suddenly he could make or break so many people. Power can create ugly beasts.”
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Today, he stands tall as a multi-millionaire, running one of the most popular combat sports promotions. But in the process, it appears that a mother lost the child she struggled mightily to bring into this world. What do you think?
Watch this story: “Freedom” or “Legacy”? UFC President Dana White Put Forward a Tough Choice for Francis Ngannou
‘Dana Was Causing Us Problems and Costing Plenty From the Very Beginning of His Life’: Dana White Put His Single Mother in ‘Hostage’ Situation Moments After His Birth
