Did Dana White of the UFC Ever Serve in the Military?

Dana White is one of the most famous sports promoters/managers on the planet, and he's had to work extremely hard to get to where he is today.

The Ultimate Fighting Championship president has gained the respect of everyone in the combat sport world not just for putting an entire sport on the map, but also because of the way he conducts himself.

White has been known for his no-nonsense approach to things ever since he began working in the UFC. You can even see it in the very early seasons of The Ultimate Fighter, he has a very regimented personality which instantly gains the respect of the fighters and other promoters. 

While his approach is somewhat military-like, he has never actually served in the military, although it may seem like it.

Dana White's Background 

Image Credits: Jeff Bottari/Zuffa LLC via Getty Images

Dana White's upbringing probably has something to do with the way he carries himself. White was born in Manchester, Connecticut, into a modest household that wasn't without its financial struggles. 

During his teen years, White would attend multiple high-schools, including one in Las Vegas, which just so happened to be the birthplace of the UFC. During his early years, he was quite an athlete and he had dreams of doing something in boxing. And it was his love for boxing that drove him onto a path that would ultimately lead him to the MMA world. 

After high-school, White would enrol into the University of Massachusetts but he dropped out after just one semester. It was at this point where he would begin to get involved on the combat sports circuit. He would become a boxing trainer in a gym in that area, as well as managing a few of the local upcoming fighters. 

He would eventually move to Las Vegas, founding Dana White Enterprises by setting up his own boxing gym, and his role as a boxing coach and manager began to evolve into something bigger. 

With all of the hands-on experience White was exposed to through his early adulthood, this gave him all of the knowledge about the fight business with things like how to negotiate contracts and how to manage several fighters under one stable. Of course, this would later prove to be invaluable experience.