Mark Zuckerberg Discusses Dana White’s Surprising Move to Meta’s Board
Meta has made a big move by appointing UFC President Dana White to its board of directors, and Mark Zuckerberg, Meta’s co-founder and CEO, has shared why he brought the UFC mogul on board. In a recent conversation with Joe Rogan, Zuckerberg revealed how White’s leadership in the UFC and his business acumen made him the perfect fit for Meta’s team.
Zuckerberg, a long-time fan of mixed martial arts, acknowledged White’s role in making the UFC a global success. “He basically took the sport from being viewed as this pretty marginal thing when he got started – I think John McCain was trying to outlaw it – and yeah, I think (the UFC) and F1 are the two fastest growing sports in the world,” Zuckerberg explained.
Zuckerberg continued to highlight White’s remarkable achievements, noting the vast audience that the UFC now attracts. “It’s got hundreds of millions of people viewing it. What Dana’s done with the UFC is like one of the most legendary business stories, and the brand is beloved,” he said.
White’s Strong Leadership Translates to Meta’s Growth
Interestingly, White wasn’t just recruited out of the blue. Zuckerberg revealed that they were already collaborating in 2024, especially when White proposed using Meta’s AI to overhaul UFC rankings. This collaboration came after White was frustrated by the media panel’s decision to leave Jon Jones as No. 2 in the UFC rankings after UFC 309.
Zuckerberg’s admiration for White goes beyond the UFC. He believes that White’s strength as an entrepreneur and leader will help Meta navigate its current challenges. “I think he’s a world-class entrepreneur, and he’s got a strong backbone,” Zuckerberg remarked.
He also shared that the move to bring White on board was strategic, with Zuckerberg recognizing the need for strong leadership amidst growing external pressures. “I think part of what the conversation that I had with him around joining our board was, ‘OK, we have a lot of governments and folks around the world putting a lot of pressure on our company, and we need some strong people who are going to basically help advise us on how to handle some of these situations,’” Zuckerberg said.
Zuckerberg elaborated on the difficulties of running a global company, especially one like Meta, which faces pressure from governments and other stakeholders. “Running this company is not for the faint of heart. There’s definitely a lot of pressure from all these different governments. I could spend all my time doing that, but I’m not even a politician. I just want to spend my time building things, right? So yeah, I think Dana’s gonna be great,” Zuckerberg added.
Dana White’s Excitement for the New Challenge
For White, this is a new adventure. Although he’s never been interested in joining a board of directors before, he’s excited about the opportunity to work with Meta. White expressed his enthusiasm in an Instagram post: “I’ve never been interested in joining a board of directors until I got the offer to join Meta’s board. I am a huge believer that social media and AI are the future,”
Zuckerberg’s decision to hire White wasn’t just about his success in the UFC, but also about his ability to bring fresh ideas and strong leadership to Meta. As Zuckerberg said, “I think he’s a world-class entrepreneur, and he’s got a strong backbone.”
What Does This Mean for Meta and UFC?
With Dana White now on Meta’s board, it’s clear that Zuckerberg sees his leadership as a valuable asset for Meta’s future. The UFC’s rise under White’s leadership has been nothing short of remarkable, and now Zuckerberg hopes to bring some of that magic to Meta as they face their own set of challenges in the tech world.
