Dana White took a huge leap of faith 30 years ago and dedicated his life to UFC. Today, it is one of the biggest combat sports promotions in the world and is worth billions of dollars ($11.3 billion to be exact). But the UFC CEO did not stop here. He expanded his empire by launching the now $750 million worth Power Slap and collaborating with Turki Alalsheikh for boxing. But he also ventured into bull riding. Yes, you read that right. He is involved with professional bull riding, or PBR for short. He owns several bulls, including the late Twisted Steel, Sour Diesel, and White Thunder. His bull, Twisted Steel, was a highly successful and popular bucking bull in the PBR.
Unfortunately, his most prized bull passed away recently. He might not have been a pet per se, but the UFC head honcho had a soft spot for Twisted Steel. Sean Gleason, CEO of Professional Bull Riders, confirmed the animal’s death on social media, saying that White and Twisted Steel (#497 at the time) had a “special bond.”
However, a new bull has joined the PBR family from UFC CEO Dana White’s stable of bulls: Dana White’s Playmate. Yes, this is the whole name of the fierce animal. During the recent UFC event, aka UFC on ESPN 66, the boss also admitted that he had done something reckless related to bull riding.
He said, “So I rode a bull back in 2015, which is what got me into this. It’s one of the dumbest things that I have ever done. You know when they strap your hand in, you go like this, raise your hand to let them know that you’re ready to go. And I remember as we were getting in, they were stripping my hand to the pole, I’m thinking, now I have to set my mind to raise my hand.”
He proceeded to say that the danger he was in and said, “You know, to have them open this thing up. But the bull starts smashing your legs against the barns, so you can’t pull your hands up fast enough. And I noticed at the pvr that they are all padded, all the bars are padded., For that reason. When we did it, the bars weren’t padded.” With a smile on his face, he concluded, “Yeah, I mean, forget riding the bull. Just getting on the bull inside that enclosure, and that guy got knocked out. He got knocked unconscious. That is a rough, nasty sport.”
Dana White tells a story of how he rode a bull at 46 years old
“It’s one of the dumbest things I’ve ever done” pic.twitter.com/racFx0ka4q
— FULL SEND MMA (@full_send_mma) April 27, 2025
Unfortunately, one of his prized animals passed away, and he was devastated. But the show must go on, and so in came another family member for PBR.
A closer look at Dana White’s Playmate
The bossman recently went on Instagram and revealed the new bull. Alongside a video with his new bull, he shared the news with a simple caption: “My boy Dana White’s Playmate is on his way to PBR Kansas City!”
For the unversed, Professional Bull Riders (PBR) is owned by TKO Holdings Group, which bought the organization, along with IMG and On Location, from Endeavor for a whopping $3.25 billion earlier this year.
So not only does White make waves in the combat sports world, but he also has an influence in the bull riding industry. Dana White might have said that bull riding was the ‘dumbest’ thing he had ever done, but it’s a lucrative business, and he cashed in on it. So you think he can come up with more unique ideas in the future? Share your thoughts in the comments!
The post After Getting a New ‘Playmate,’ Dana White Slips Surprising Confession on ‘One of The Dumbest Things’ He’s Ever Done appeared first on EssentiallySports.
