Cliffs: Dana: "When we bought the company, the Fertitas and I, we believed in the sport and more importantly the athletes. These guys are smart." translator: We found a workforce to exploit that doesn't understand their long term value. Dana: "Porn was on PPV, but UFC was not allowed, and now ... we're with Disney." translator: We found a way to shaft you harder than any pornstar ever could. Dana: "We were first with social media, we were first with websites, we were first with chatrooms, and I would go into these chat rooms and talk to fans" Dana: "You know how many times I watch a boxing match and I turn the TV off and go, 'i just got ripped off and I wasted my Saturday night' I never want people thinking that after turning off the tv after watching one of my events" Dana "At the end of the day, what I sell are holy shit moments. You have to have a few of those on a Saturday night" Dana: "Ari and I have known each other for a long time, but how are we going to work together? You know, Am I still going to have absolute and total control or are we going to have a bunch of guys now, these banker guys jumping in trying to uh, you know matchmake, change the business, change the way I run the business...? NONE of that happened. Everything is exactly the same so... it couldn't be more perfect." Translator: "Fire anyone who brings up the fact fighters combined, are only paid 10-13% of the profits of an event."
Before you put any stock in his BS translation you should check out the kind of genius you are dealing with here. https://forums.sherdog.com/threads/...at-year-mcdonalds-wages-need-to-stop.4019339/
This. Having rich friends willing to invest their daddys money into something you just happened across by accident.
"I got chased out of Boston. My own mother hates me. My best friends were millionaires. TUF was suggested to save the company. I hated it. TUF saved the company. I am a genius. I am lobster."
Dana became powerful because he had connections - billionaire friends and convinced them to invest in the UFC. It’s about who you know and they aren’t always legit. The end.
I get the hate he gets, he is a total prick. No doubt he wouldn't be where he is without rich friends, but you have to admit he's done a hell of a job fucking people over and making profit. That how many people get rich, this is not unique to Dana.
Viewing it as fucking people over seems a bit much, but otherwise I completely agree. The bosses job is to produce as much revenue as possible with as little cost as possible. Dana does it, Jeff Bezos does it, Tim Cook does it, Elon Musk does it, and many others I wont take the time to name. Everyone hates rich guys until they get the chance to be one.
"Without him none of this would be possible" Dana still has years on my good side for roughing Ariel Helwani up and shitting on Brendan Schaub