Dana White has had his share of conflicts with UFC stars, but one incident escalated to a physical altercation with an MMA icon, and it happened while their plane was ascending.
Dana White and Tito Ortiz’s Mid-Flight Fistfight: A Heated Confrontation on a Private Plane
White and Tito Ortiz have had a notoriously tense relationship over the years, frequently exchanging verbal jabs. However, things reached a boiling point during a confrontation on a plane.
The altercation began when Ortiz put Dana White in a neck crank, and White, unable to escape, started to panic. In a desperate attempt to defend himself, Dana began throwing punches at Ortiz, which led to a full-blown fight mid-flight.
In an interview with Conan, Dana White recalled the incident when he said;
“We were on a private plane to Japan with my partners, the Fertitta brothers, Tito Ortiz, and myself. Tito and I were messing around, and he put me in a neck crank. I was tapping, but he didn’t stop. A neck crank can seriously injure someone, especially with someone as big and strong as Tito.”
“I started punching him in the ribs, and when he let go, he jumped up, and we were in a full-on fistfight while the plane was taking off. The Fertitta brothers had to step in and break it up. After that, I sat at the front of the plane, and he sat at the back for the rest of the flight.”
Dana Reveals His Favourite Moment in UFC History Involving Tito Ortiz
Throughout his remarkable career, Dana White has had countless unforgettable moments, from selling out legendary arenas to producing some of the biggest combat sports events ever.
Yet, none of these accomplishments compare to his favourite memory. For Dana White, the happiest moment of his career came when he witnessed Tito Ortiz, suffer a crushing defeat. The UFC President explained why that particular moment brought him so much joy.
Featured image credits to Embed from Getty Images
