Currently, Dana White and Vince McMahon are essentially part of the same team, a situation that was not always the case. White recalls a tumultuous history with McMahon. White told Sports Illustrated that McMahon tried to undermine him many times for no reason whatsoever other than to undermine him. He describes that since leaving the past behind the two have become allies and there hasn’t been a better partner than Vince McMahon.
In September, The UFC and World World Wrestling Entertainment merged officially under the parent company TKO Group Holdings. As a part of the merger, White became UFC CEO, however, his tasks have not changed significantly while McMahon remains executive chairman of WWE. With the merge, the relationship between the two company heads has revolutionized.
White expounded that since the first day of the merger, it’s like he is dealing with a different individual altogether. He revealed that McMahon was an assertive individual who would blindly pursue anyone opposing him, but once that person is in alliance with him, he becomes the best of partners. He also stated that they have had numerous productive conversations over the phone since the deal, with McMahon doing admirable work and raising the standard for both companies.
Despite formerly having a strained relationship with McMahon, White had positive interactions with WWE executives Paul “Triple H” Levesque and Stephanie McMahon. Now that the times have changed, he has nothing but praise for McMahon, referring to him as an absolute savage, a killer in the business world, and even likens him to the Michael Jordan of the business world.