Dana White pumped about Donald Trump’s tribute to Kobe Bryant
US President Donald Trump commemorates Kobe Bryant during Black History Month, which brings joy to UFC CEO Dana White.
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Dana White expresses his happiness with Donald Trump honoring Kobe Bryant (Image via Imago/X/Forbes)
Kobe Bryant was one of the most renowned basketball stars in the world. However, it has been over five years since the Los Angeles Lakers legend passed away. Interestingly, given his contributions and reputation in the basketball community, Bryant remains alive in the hearts of many, including Donald Trump and Dana White.
The President of the United States, Donald Trump, recently hosted African Americans at the White House to honor Black History Month. He announced plans to build statues of historically significant Black figures at the National Garden of American Heroes. Among the notable names, Trump also included NBA legend Kobe Bryant on the list. UFC CEO Dana White had a wholesome reaction to the news.
F**K YES!!!… So awesome Kobe
Dana White via Instagram Story
As the head of one of the leading MMA promotions, Dana White is a globally recognized figure. Notably, the UFC CEO also played a significant role in endorsing and supporting Trump’s bid for a second term as US president. Although the POTUS wanted White in a cabinet role, the UFC CEO declined the offer. Despite this, White continues to support the decisions made during Trump’s administration.
— neilchelsforev (@nilaavrg18) February 21, 2025
Interestingly, Kobe Bryant had a close friendship with many notable personalities. However, his sudden death in a helicopter crash in 2020 stunned many individuals in the UFC community. Notably, former UFC heavyweight champion Francis Ngannou even named his late son after the NBA legend. Likewise, UFC CEO Dana White shared good moments with Bryant and has positive memories of him.
Dana White talks about his bond with Kobe Bryant
Over the years, UFC CEO Dana White has frequently spoken about competing against other prominent sports leagues globally. The NBA, the professional basketball league, is one such example. Despite the growing competition between the UFC and the NBA, White shares a strong bond with many notable figures in the professional basketball community.
Former Los Angeles Lakers star Kobe Bryant was one of those figures. The UFC initially struggled to establish itself as an MMA promotion. During that time, many notable personalities, including Donald Trump, helped it grow. Interestingly, as revealed by White himself, Bryant was one of the investors in the UFC
I knew him personally, he and I were friends and he actually invested in the UFC. That was when Endeavor bought, they let all their clients come in and take a piece, he took a piece…. he was an incredible human being. Such a good guy, I’ll never forget where I was and what I was doing when I heard that Kobe died… Right when all the celebs had to cash out on their UFC thing, it was like days before he passed away. He was super pumped about the investment.
Dana White via Complex Sneakers
.@danawhite speaks on Kobe's early investment in the @ufc
— Complex Sneakers (@ComplexSneakers) July 4, 2023
WATCH: https://t.co/7Cq7QJrXpY pic.twitter.com/5rOLsWhgpR
The UFC CEO emphasized how excited Bryant was about his investment in the promotion just days before he passed away. Little did the Los Angeles Lakers legend know what the future held for him. In addition to his relationship with Bryant, White also has a strong bond with another basketball legend, Michael Jordan.
Related: How many rings does Kobe Bryant have? Check out how many Kobe won without Shaq
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Nilaav Gogoi
(656 Articles Published)