Dana White on Conor McGregor Getting a Stake in The UFC: “Never gonna’ happen”
Dana White has never been one to tell a fighter that mentions retirement not to do it. He has been adamant about if fighters are thinking about retirement, they should probably do it. When a fighter has the level of success Conor McGregor has had through fighting, continuing to fight is a hard sell when money is being made elsewhere.
White reiterated what he texted Brett Okamoto when speaking to TMZ about his reaction to McGregor retiring. “His whiskey business is killin’ it,” White told TMZ but also reminded fans that McGregor is not the first big name to walk away from the UFC once they reach star status. “I’ve been hearing it for 20 years,” White said about comments on how the promotion “needs” a certain fighter.
As far as McGregor saying he wants a stake in the company, White said in their brief text, “Conor, you know that’s never going to happen.” With the UFC being sold for more than $4 billion in 2016, owning a stake in the company would mean you have to have money to buy it.
“Listen if you want to own a piece of the company, you have to put up the money.” –Dana White
While Conor McGregor has made a lot of money in his time in the fight business and made millions, the UFC has a price tag in the billions and anyone that can afford to buy in would likely negotiate more seriously than shooting White a text message.
To reiterate the value of fighters like McGregor, White listed other notable fighters that have found success through the UFC like, Georges St-Pierre, Anderson Silva, and Ronda Rousey. He said while it is amazing to make athletes like them starts in the sport, he said there will be others; “it’s part of the sport.”
