“Nail It and Move On” – Dana White Brushes Away Nervousness Surrounding UFC Freedom 250

Less than 20 days out from UFC Freedom 250, Dana White reveals that he is not nervous heading into the historic event at the White House.

“Nail It and Move On” – Dana White Brushes Away Nervousness Surrounding UFC Freedom 250

Dana White reveals he is not nervous heading into the UFC Freedom 250 event [via UFC.com]

In Short
  • UFC Freedom 250 will be the first sporting event held at the White House, with construction already underway.
  • The event is expected to incur losses over $30 million, with a total net spend of around $60 million.
  • Dana White emphasizes the event as a patriotic tribute, distancing it from political interpretations.

The UFC Freedom 250 event is just two weeks away, and construction at the South Lawn is already underway. The American MMA giant has hosted many huge events, but this will be the first time a sporting event has been held at the White House. Despite the significance of the occasion, UFC CEO Dana White insists that he is not nervous as the event inches closer.

This upcoming event is set to be very different from other UFC events. TKO President and COO, Mark Shapiro, revealed that the upcoming Freedom 250 event would lead them to incur losses north of $30 million.

The TKO boss estimated the net spend for the event to be around $60 million, with “corporate partners” offsetting about half that. Nonetheless, he maintained that the company would not make a single dime for this event, highlighting how special it is.

Despite the massive stakes, White is not feeling the pressure. The longtime UFC executive told TIME Magazine that there was nothing more to it than him having a job to do come June 14th.

I’m never nervous. I have this weird thing where I just want it to be over, and you don’t want to live your life that way. You’re going into this incredible one-of-one experience, and all you want is for it to be over, but that’s what I do to myself. Instead of being nervous, I just want to get it done, nail it, and move on.

Dana White via TIME Magazine

The veteran promoter seems to be projecting supreme confidence heading into this card. Even so, the past week has not been easy for the American sports mogul. He has received flak on multiple fronts. To start, White was berated for his comments about UFC legend Anderson Silva.

Then, his friend-turned-rival Eddie Hearn came out to blast the UFC over heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall‘s contract. The English promoter doubled down on his comments from earlier about his fellow Englishman having the “worst” contract he had ever seen. Hearn even went as far as to ask Dana White to release Aspinall and let him sign the heavyweight.

Despite all this, the UFC CEO remains unfazed. The 56-year-old seems laser-focused on the success of the upcoming UFC Freedom 250 card, an event he claims was born out of his love for the United States of America.

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Dana White claims the UFC Freedom 250 card is patriotic

The upcoming UFC Freedom 250 card will play host to not only some of the biggest fights in recent memory, but also several dignitaries and high-profile political figures. With approximately 4,300 seats in the South Lawn, there will be many distinguished guests in attendance. In that vein, it was confirmed recently that every branch of the US military will be represented in the audience for the event.

Dana White
Dana White (via Yahoo Sports)

Dana White recently stressed that he has completely stepped away from politics. This is why, in his interview with TIME Magazine, he insisted that the upcoming card should not be viewed through a political lens. Rather, he characterized it as a patriotic tribute to America.

You can make anything political if you want to. I love this country like anybody on the left loves this country. I love this country like anybody on the right loves this country. This is basically me spending money to celebrate the 250th birthday of America, with America and the rest of the world.

Dana White via TIME Magazine

In spite of White’s self-admitted inability to book the exact card he had envisioned for the White House event, the hype around the upcoming card remains palpable. The UFC CEO revealed that some unexpected problems remain unresolved just a couple of weeks away from the card. Nevertheless, things seem to be shaping up nicely for one of the biggest events in the company’s history.

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