Some of the tell-tale signs of chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) are impulsive behaviour and inability to control anger. As Joe Rogan pointed out on his podcast recently, Dana White exhibits these same behaviours. Dana did a lot of boxing in his youth and has a history of head trauma. According to Rogan, it is entirely possible that Dana White has brain damage.
Rogan and Dana have been friends since Zuffa first purchased the UFC. Their friendship now spans 20 years. Throughout that time, Rogan has noticed some worrying trends in Dana’s behaviour.
Dana White: Big Money Blackjack
Dana White is not a guy who does things on a small scale. When he goes in on something, he goes all-in. Perhaps that’s why he loves blackjack so much.
In 2012, when the Palms Casino Resort reduced his gambling credit, White responded by pulling all future fights from their venue. That’s not a good sign.
In 2014, Dana and the casino evidently made up to some degree. They awarded him a championship belt and declared him the “Undisputed Blackjack Champion”.
CTE patients often have trouble with gambling and other behaviours impacted by impulsivity. Dana’s gambling is a big reason why Rogan believes he may have brain damage.
Joe Rogan on Dana White
The topic of Dana White’s gambling came up recently on Rogan’s podcast, “the Joe Rogan Experience”. Rogan and guests, Natasha Leggero & Moshe Kasher, were talking about casinos when Rogan brought up Dana’s gambling:
“Here’s what’s interesting though, if you win, they ban you. My friend Dana White, Dana White is a notorious gambler, but he’s won millions of dollars sometimes. I think he said he’s lost as much as $1 million and he’s won as much as $7 million in a night.”
Rogan then explained how Dana’s behaviour could potentially be related to head trauma:
“Dana’s been hit in the head a lot,”
“Notoriously impulsive, notoriously susceptible to addiction, whether it’s gambling addiction, alcohol addiction, it’s a big part of CTE. That’s brain damage, from getting hit in the head. He did a lot of boxing when he was young, had his dome rattled.”
Impulsive Behaviour
Some would say that Dana White’s recent comments regarding Amanda Nunes and Demetrious Johnson are further evidence of Dana potentially having a degree of brain damage.
The UFC president has recently chastised both Nunes and Johnson through the media. Johnson for not agreeing to face TJ Dillashaw, and Nunes for pulling out of her bout at UFC 213.
Numerous critics have pointed out that throwing Amanda Nunes and Demetrious Johnson under the bus makes little sense for Dana White. While these events must have been frustrating, White’s burial of Nunes could potentially hurt her drawing power, taking money out of Dana’s own pocket. Similarly, White’s comments about Mighty Mouse also have the potential to hurt his ability to draw viewers, not to mention are damaging to his legacy.
It could be that Dana was unable to help himself from making disparaging comments regarding the two fighters however, even though it was in his own best interest not to. More evidence that Dana White might indeed be suffering from CTE.