UFC CEO Dana White might view Nakisa Bidarian as an enemy and competitor now, however not way back the 2 labored hand-in-hand to assist flip UFC right into a monetary behemoth.
Bidarian is a detailed enterprise accomplice of Jake Paul’s and co-founder of Most Invaluable Promotions. Earlier than that, nonetheless, he was a trusted ally of former UFC house owners Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta. The Fertitta brothers introduced Bidarian on as an government in control of technique and enterprise ventures with the UFC in 2011. By the point Bidarian departed UFC in 2016, he was the promotion’s Chief Monetary Officer.
But as a result of Paul’s unending disagreement in opposition to White, Bidarian has come into the UFC boss’ crosshairs usually over the previous few years. In a uncommon longform interview Wednesday on The MMA Hour, Bidarian mirrored on his relationship with White throughout his UFC days.
“Look, I respect Dana for the impression he’s had on combat sports activities. Proper? And it’s important to commend his capacity to manage the narrative at UFC and with the fighters,” Bidarian stated.
“I might say Dana and I had an up-and-down relationship, which I don’t suppose is totally different to lots of the relationships he had with executives at UFC throughout that time frame. I’ve all the time been outspoken in my beliefs and never afraid to current what we expect is the correct path ahead strategically to do issues. And it’s important to bear in mind, I wasn’t employed by Dana White. I didn’t interview with Dana White to come back into the UFC. You might argue that he was a proponent of me leaving the UFC, completely, for a lot of totally different causes. However we had an amicable relationship for more often than not that I used to be there.”
Maybe Bidarian’s best accomplishment throughout his UFC days got here towards the top of his tenure. Bidarian stated he labored because the “lead advisor for UFC and the Fertittas, along with JP Morgan and Raine [Group]” on the greater than $4 billion sale of the promotion to expertise company Endeavor in 2016. In keeping with Bidarian, UFC almost offered two years earlier in 2014, nonetheless the financials didn’t hit a quantity the Fertittas wished. However 2016 was totally different, with the ultimate sale value standing on the time as the most costly transaction for a corporation in sports activities historical past. After that, Bidarian moved on to the Fertittas’ subsequent enterprise.
“[The UFC sale] was actually one thing that I labored on for two-plus years with the help of Frank and Lorenzo and getting them the result that they wished on the time,” Bidarian stated.
“I went and arrange Fertitta Capital [after that]. The Fertittas dedicated a certain quantity of capital for myself and the staff to spend money on media, leisure, and sports activities, with the expectation that over time we might usher in third-party capital, so different traders would are available in. And it acquired to a degree after about two years the place there was a misalignment when it comes to that imaginative and prescient, that means Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta wished to maintain the capital in-house, captive to their household, and I wished to usher in third-party capital, and that’s the place we determined to half methods.”
Bidarian described his break up with the Fertittas as one hundred pc “amicable.” Quickly after, he met Paul — and it wasn’t lengthy earlier than he and Paul partnered to create Most Invaluable Promotions.
Seemingly in a single day, Bidarian discovered himself dragged into Paul’s feud with White.
“Dana and Ben Askren had no relationship. As quickly because it was introduced Ben Askren was combating Jake Paul [in 2021], Dana helped Ben Askren get with Freddie Roach,” Bidarian stated. “Freddie Roach began coaching Ben Askren. Freddie Roach made the assertion that Ben Askren goes to make Jake Paul the largest meme in combat sports activities historical past. I bear in mind Dana went on some podcasts and stated he’s going to guess one million {dollars} that Jake goes to lose. And Jake didn’t lose, Jake gained. After which quick ahead to Tyron Woodley. He beat Tyron Woodley within the first combat, Dana got here out and stated the combat was rigged. And I began to essentially take into consideration, like, what’s the goal of pulling down this younger man?
“I perceive he’s making content material poking you. However like, why do you wish to break him with misinformation successfully, proper? Like, the combat is mounted — actually? After which it got here to the second Tyron Woodley combat and he got here out and stated Jake Paul’s utilizing steroids. And that was actually the second the place I went to Jake and I stated, ‘OK, now I’m in your facet, and also you’re obsessed with fighter pay. I’m going to help that effort and I’m going to teach you extra on fighter pay, and let’s begin to be somewhat bit extra public with that.’ And that’s actually the purpose the place Dana attacked me, as a result of I feel he understood fairly clearly that I had helped Jake perceive the fighter pay ecosystem.”
Nonetheless, Bidarian has not often fired again within the public eye at White’s accusations and slights.
That call has been a purposeful one.
“I’m a non-public individual. I’m centered on my household,” Bidarian stated. “Dana White can speak about me all he needs, it’s OK with me. He can say as many lies as he needs.”
Paul faces UFC veteran and BKFC star Mike Perry on July 20 on the Amalie Enviornment in Tampa, Fla. That combat is promoted below the MVP umbrella and is about to air reside on DAZN.
Bidarian’s complete sitdown on The MMA Hour may be watched above.
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