Former UFC Champion Tito Ortiz Has 'No Relationship' With Dana White

At one time Tito Ortiz was the face of the UFC and MMA in general, reigning as champion for several years and delivering some of the most iconic performances of UFC's early years. But in the years since his retirement and move into politics, Ortiz has found that he no longer has a friend in UFC's longtime president Dana White.

Appearing on Tomi Lahren Is Fearless via OutKick, Ortiz lamented that he has "no relationship at all" with White and accused the longtime UFC boss of insulting his intelligence often. Ortiz said he couldn't understand why White hates him so much but finds it concerning. He still believes that White is doing a great job with the company though.

"No relationship at all. You know, I see him once in a while when someone mentions my name to him. He once again, automatically reacts to 'Tito's stupid man.' Okay. Okay, Dana, we get that," Ortiz said.

"Um, I, I just, if I feel that much hate to him, it's, it, I won't say concerning, but it's just, uh, I don't really think about it. I'm like, whatever. And you could say what you want about me, but I think he's done a great job for UFC."

White & The White House

Ortiz also took a small amount of credit for White having such a good relationship with the President of the United States, citing their first meeting occurring at one of his fights back in 2001 at Trump's casino in Atlantic City.

"The relationship he has with President Trump, it goes back to where I fought in UFC 30 at the Trump Taj Mahal back in 2001 when UFC first got bought. I was the main event, you know, um, Trump coming to my fights before him and Dana were ever friends," Ortiz asserted.

"Maybe on a ‘Celebrity Apprentice' before him and Dana were ever friends. Uh, but I, like I say, I'm gonna hold that over his head."

Ortiz further lamented that White wouldn't even help him get an invitation to the White House for the upcoming UFC event in President Trump's backyard this summer.

"I wish I was invited to the White House card. I am not," he added.

"It just, after the 16 years I gave to them from the very beginning, when they first bought the company to almost to the end where they sold the company, um, I don't get tickets. I gotta pay for my own tickets when I do want to go."

Ortiz fought his first 28 pro fights with UFC from 1997 to 2012, going 16-11-1 with a long run as the UFC light heavyweight champion. He helped achieve over 2.1 million pay-per-view buys between 2001 and 2011.

Ortiz was indicted into the UFC Hall of Fame's Pioneer Wing in 2012.

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This story was originally published May 20, 2026 at 10:53 AM.