UFC president Dana White sat down with Khloe Kardashian for a candid interview on leadership and the wild ride of keeping the UFC afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic. While the world was shutting down and pink slips were flying faster than an Alex Pereira left hook, White made a bold promise: nobody at the UFC was getting laid off on his watch.
Khloe Kardashian Learns About UFC and COVID with Dana White
“When everyone was laying people off, people were losing their jobs left and right, you were like, ‘I’m not gonna lay anybody off. Everyone’s gonna keep their jobs,’” Khloe Kardashian said during their conversation. “And if I heard or read correctly, you were going to take a pay cut in order for everyone to keep theirs.”
Dana White clarified to Khloe Kardashian, “Not a pay cut, I was going to give up my salary and bonus. If I was wrong and we couldn’t make it through COVID, then the company would take the hit. There’s no way in hell that I was going to let that happen. We were either gonna figure this out or we were gonna all go down together.”
While many sports organizations halted operations and reduced staff, White and the UFC took a different approach, working to keep events running and employees on the payroll. White’s comments highlight the company’s commitment to its workforce during a period of uncertainty, emphasizing a team mentality to share in the risks brought on by the pandemic.
The promotion quickly adapted by holding fights in empty arenas, constructing strict safety protocols, and leveraging two key venues: the UFC Apex in Las Vegas and “Fight Island” on Yas Island, Abu Dhabi. Starting in May 2020, the Apex hosted events with no fans in attendance, restricted staff, and rigorous cleaning and testing protocols. The stripped-back environment gave the broadcasts a unique feel. Fans at home could hear every strike, corner instruction, and even the commentary
Both the Apex and Fight Island became templates for sports organizations worldwide, showing how live events could be staged safely during a pandemic. The UFC was the first major sports league in the U.S. to return to action.
