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Dana White admits ‘I didn’t want women in the UFC’ and reveals how Ronda Rousey changed his mind

UFC President Dana White has openly shared how his initial resistance to a women’s division in the organization was transformed by a pivotal conversation with Ronda Rousey. In a candid admission on the *Diary of the CEO* podcast, White revealed that he had originally focused exclusively on expanding the men’s division, even after the UFC’s explosive growth in its first decade—including a record 33 events and 386 fights in 2013.

That year marked a turning point when Rousey, then an emerging star, approached White at an event and convinced him to take a chance. Their meeting led directly to the launch of the UFC’s women’s bantamweight division, with Rousey becoming its inaugural champion after defeating Liz Carmouche at *UFC 157* in February 2013.

She dominated the title for two years, defending it six times—a record that still stands—before her career in the UFC ended with two consecutive losses, including a first-round TKO defeat to Amanda Nunes at *UFC 207*. Rousey later became a WWE champion and was later inducted into the UFC Hall of Fame as its first female honoree, cementing her legacy as a trailblazer in women’s MMA.

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