Dana White's brutally brilliant one-sided campaign against talking heads

He may be terminally agitated but the UFC front man understands psychological control.

No matter how low the UFC front office’s opinion may be about their own fans, it will never be as low as their opinion of uncontrolled online dedicated superfans and know-it-all content creators who they seem to view as scum of the Earth.

If you’ve ever generated a buck off of content related to UFC, you are a parasite.

Now, that attitude could change if you’re a celebrity, an Endeavor client, an investor, or perhaps part of Dana’s online influencer Wack Pack.

You didn’t think I would have more to say after our recent MMA Draw article talking about Endeavor’s new media strategy with UFC, did you?

Leave it up to Dana White and UFC’s digital team, in a slick fashion, to demonstrate their raw power in creating a viral hornet’s nest against their “critics” with this recent video reviewing skepticism about UFC 300.

The two minute video released by Mr. White was a classic example of UFC disproportionately flaming their “enemies” in the media. Despite the organization recording blockbuster numbers on ESPN for the UFC 300 event, UFC’s King of Vitality always has to find a new dragon to slay. A new whipping boy. There always has to be an antagonist because peacetime doesn’t serve him or his ego very well.

The targets in that UFC 300 video - from former GLORY PR guy Eric Jackman to Ariel Helwani to MMA “savage influencer” Jesse Merl to Big John McCarthy - didn’t see it coming. That’s the point of Dana’s strategy.

Before Endeavor took over UFC, Dana was busy engaging with “the enemy” on The Underground Forum ala Tony Khan on Twitter. After Endeavor took over, the UFC office has helped shape and craft a contained-loop media strategy in which they use their bully pulpit to pressure wash away anyone they deem to be unworthy.

The containment strategy allows them to maximize their resources to reward “team players” while taking a proverbial digital dump on anyone they don’t have a business relationship with. Perhaps I shouldn’t be raising the issue of taking a dump in the world of TKO.

Of all of Dana’s targets, it’s no surprise that Mr. Jackman had the best response. The response was the sharpest he could produce.

The problem in 2024 is that the targets of Dana White’s negative campaigns are fighting an asymmetrical war in which they cannot fully defend themselves. Even if you do everything right in responding to UFC’s digital attack machine, you will never reach as many people as they do.

What, are you going to sue them in a Nevada court for false light? With your luck, you’ll end up with Judge Jennifer Dorsey.

Any target of UFC’s machine is stuck trying to defend their name and point-of-view on a substantive basis while the UFC realizes that the process is the punishment. These media personalities are carrying a water pistol at the O.K. Corral. Even if they return fire at Dana, it doesn’t matter - they’re only going to win the hearts and minds of a % of the audience they need to support their commentary.

Deep behind the curtain, there is a method to the madness. There is a strategy involved. It’s a brilliant - yet brutal - tactical fight that Dana White is engaged in using his contained media ecosystem.

If you’re reading this as a fan or even as a social media content creator, why do you care what Dana White and UFC’s office has to say about a bunch of talking heads?

Because you could be the next target if you’re not careful. If you’re not a supplicant to UFC 100% of the time? Your life can change in a hurry and that’s the point of the exercise.

It is necessary to see the strings that are being pulled in order to forecast what is forthcoming. The rules of engagement must be understood first.