UFC President Dana White sat down with Khloe Kardashian for an honest interview on the leadership and wild rides of maintaining the UFC during the Covid-19 pandemic. White made a bold promise while the world was closed and the pink slip flew faster than Alex Pereira’s left hook.
Khloe Kardashian learns about UFC and Covid about Dana White
“When everyone was abandoning people, people were losing their jobs left and right, you said, ‘I’m not going to leave, everyone is going to keep up with their work,’ Khloe Kardashian said in their conversation. “And if I heard or read correctly, you were going to cut your paychecks to keep everyone theirs.”
Dana White told Khloe Kardashian, “We were trying to give up our pay and bonuses, not pay cuts. If we were wrong and we couldn’t achieve it through Covid, the company would be a hit.
While many sports organizations have stopped operations and cut staff, White and the UFC are taking a different approach, working to run events and keep employees on payroll. White’s comments highlight the company’s commitment to the workforce during periods of uncertainty, and the mentality of teams who share the risks posed by the pandemic.
The promotion quickly adapted by holding battles in empty arenas, building strict safety protocols and utilizing two key venues: the UFC apex in Las Vegas and the “Fight Island” on Yas Island in Abu Dhabi. Starting in May 2020, Apex has held events that are not attended by fans, staff restrictions, and strict cleaning and testing protocols. The stripped environment gave the broadcast a unique atmosphere. Fans at home could listen to all the strikes, corner guidance, and even commentary.
Both Apex and Fight Island have become templates for sports organizations around the world, demonstrating how to safely stage live events during the pandemic. The UFC was the first major sports league in the United States to return to action.