What is the similarity between bulls and UFC champs? Well, both are loved by Dana White. The UFC CEO has dipped his toes in different fight industries, including Power Slap and boxing, but he is also interested in bullfighting since he is heavily involved in TKO Group’s Professional Bull Riders (PBR). White, however, not only sees his prized bulls as lucrative assets but is pretty attached to them as well. Earlier this year, he and his family got some tragic news. White’s prized possession, his beloved PBR bull named Twisted Steel, passed away after fighting undisclosed health problems.
CEO of Professional Bull Riders, Sean Gleason, said that White and Twisted Steel had developed a “special bond.” Nevertheless, White has found a new companion and has a new bull named Playmate. He proudly announced his new prized possession through a video on Instagram, “My boy Dana White’s Playmate is on his way to PBR Kansas City!” he wrote.
Playmate has rapidly become White’s star player since he managed to knock out PBR rider Dustin Herman in the chute. As per White’s latest post, Playmate is coming back! He uploaded an Instagram video stating happily, “What’s up guys, so you know my bull Twisted Steel passed away recently, and I got a new bull, his name is Playmate.
Adding on, he said, “He is badass and he is super violent, so last week he fought at PBR and the rider never even made it out of the chute with him. He knocked the guy out inside the chute, and I am excited to announce that Playmate has been selected for the PBR world finals starting May 8 in Fort Worth, Texas. So you can go check him out live at the PBR or watch it live on Ride Pass.”
Now, why was he so happy? It’s because the dominant 5-year-old bull will be making his World Finals debut. Dana White purchased him from D&H Cattle Company. Additionally, Playmate is the son of three-time PBR World Champion and Brand of Honor winner SweetPro’s Bruiser (D&H Cattle Co./Buck Cattle Co.).
Apart from the riders, they will be competing for the 2025 PBR World Championship and a $1 million bonus. The PBR’s most violent bulls will also compete for the 2025 YETI PBR World Champion Bull honor. The winner of the bull competition will receive a whopping $100,000 bonus.
However, the idea of PBR might have been an intelligent investment for White. He confessed, though, that it was one of the ‘dumbest’ things he had ever done.
Dana White revealed his dumbest choice
During the recent UFC on ESPN 66, the bossman spoke to the media and admitted that he had done something bizarre in the past. 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 realised the danger too late and said that it’s really hard holding on to the bull since it starts, “smashing your legs against the barns,” so he could not put his hands up fast enough, signaling a stop. He added, “When we did it, the bars weren’t padded.” With a smirk, he completed, “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.”
However, at least he has tried and tested what it feels like, rather than making his PBR bull riders suffer alone! What do you think about Playmate? Would you watch the showdown on May 8th?
The post “My Boy Is Violent” – Months After Losing His Prized Bull, Dana White Hyped for His New Playmate Making It to PBR Finals appeared first on EssentiallySports.
