“ALWAYS MY #1.” That was the special message that Dana White’s daughter, Savannah White, had for the UFC head honcho on the occasion of Father’s Day. And to repay that kind of love, the UFC CEO was ready to give up Rocky and Goodfellas as his most-watched movies. White is a movie aficionado for sure. Even though his favorite movies include The Hunt and Ford vs. Ferrari, Rocky and Goodfellas stick close to his heart, likely because of his personal experience with training fighters at his Boston gym and dealing with the notorious mobster, Whitey Bulger. But as of now, the UFC head honcho has to settle for Stick It.
And, well, who could you blame but their father-daughter movie night? Dana White recently took to Instagram Stories and shared a clip of Stick It — an American teen comedy-drama from 2006, which revolves around Haley Graham’s (played by Missy Peregrym) struggles at an elite gymnastics academy. In the caption, the 55-year-old CEO wrote, “Dad/Daughter movie night IYKYK. I have seen this movie more times than Good Fellas or Rocky.”
Snubbing Sylvester Stallone and Robert De Niro’s masterpieces is a result of the special attention that White usually gives to Savannah White. He has previously admitted that his behavior toward his daughter is different from how he treats his sons.
Talking to Theo Von on This Past Weekend episode #470, the UFC head honcho said, “It’s tougher being a girl dad because I didn’t really give a s— what the boys did. They could do whatever they want… she can’t do whatever she wants. As a dad you have to sort of oversee and protect your daughter more than you did your sons.”
White has often taken a step back when it comes to talking about his personal life. However, he has been pretty vocal about his stance as a father to three children. But what exactly makes him a better father? Let’s hear it from the bossman himself.
Dana White reveals his secret to being a better father
White never really had a father figure while growing up. His biological father left the family and June White, a single mother, had to take care of a young Dana White. And if there’s anything the UFC head honcho wants to do, it’s to avoid being like his own father.
In a conversation with Piers Morgan in 2024, the 55-year-old said, “Firstly, I am here for my kids. Secondly, you know I’ve been married for almost 30 years. You go through a lot of things in a marriage… What you don’t do, is, you don’t leave, you don’t quit, you don’t give up, and you stay [married]. You know you don’t stay together just for your children, but you stay. I made a commitment 22 years ago when I had my first son, and you know I’ve stayed in there. I’m always there for my kids. Anything that they ever need.”
White has personally felt the pain that a father’s absence can leave behind. No matter what, he doesn’t wish to do the same to his children. He continued, “You know everybody’s always asking about your legacy. What you did for a living isn’t your legacy. Your legacy is your children, and their children, and how they feel about you. We all make mistakes, and we all fail in life and many different ways and things. My opinion is the one thing that you cannot fail at is being a parent. This is the ultimate failure. It shows that you really weren’t focused on the right things in your life if that’s what you fail at.”
While White became a better father, he isn’t really the ideal son that June White wanted. In her book, the unauthorized biography Dana White. King of MMA, she accused her own son of being “egotistical”. Her complaint was that the UFC CEO left his family behind. Dana White seldom likes to talk about his parents. What we do know, however, is that he is adopting father who is doing everything to ensure that his kids live the best life possible.
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