Khabib Credits White's Cold-Blooded Approach

Khabib Nurmagomedov says Dana White's ruthless business instincts built the UFC into what it is today.

The retired lightweight champion told Lex Fridman that White's willingness to make unpopular decisions—treating the promotion like family above all else—separated him from other executives. Nurmagomedov compared the UFC president to a mafia boss who prioritizes the organization over individual relationships, per Sherdog.

Why Khabib Believes White's Decisions Drove UFC Forward

"He's very good at separating business and personal relationships," Nurmagomedov said on the podcast. "For him, they will never overlap. He draws a clear line between them. In business, he's extremely cold-blooded. He's made some major decisions regardless of whether people like him or not. Those decisions were best for the UFC."

Nurmagomedov acknowledged that multiple factors contributed to the promotion's growth, including matchmaking and fighter development. But he pointed to White as the driving force behind the brand's expansion over two decades.

"He always had that mentality from those mafia movies where family comes first," Nurmagomedov added. "Well, for him, the UFC always came first. That's the only way he was able to push that brand forward."

The comments come as White continues to face criticism over fighter pay structures and contract terms, issues Nurmagomedov did not address in the interview.

Reported via:

• Sherdog — Khabib Nurmagomedov credits Dana White’s ‘cold-blooded’ UFC approach