- Bud Light sales have fallen dramatically since the Mulvaney partnership
- But White says there is no longer a patriotic beer brand for Americans to align with
- DailyMail.com provides all the latest international sports news
Dana White has passionately defended the UFC's $105 million-a-year partnership with Bud Light, insisting that no other beer company is more connected to patriotic Americans.
White and the UFC came under fire in October after announcing a six-year partnership with brewer Anheuser-Busch, whose popularity and sales have plummeted since teaming up with trans activist Dylan Mulvaney in April.
Bud Light previously held the position as the best-selling beer in the US, but that is no longer the case due to the partnership with Mulvaney, with some UFC fans even threatening to boycott the MMA promotion over their involvement with one of America's most popular beers . culture war issues.
Despite the threat of a boycott, White has not shied away from the Bud Light deal and instead jumped to their defense, emphasizing that the company's values align well with his.
Dana White has passionately defended the UFC's $105 million partnership with Bud Light
The UFC came under fire after announcing a partnership with Bud Light brewer Anheuser-Busch, whose sales have plummeted since teaming up with trans activist Dylan Mulvaney
And during an interview with Tucker Carlson, the UFC president doubled down on his support for the controversial beer brand – telling Americans they should drink gallons of it if they consider themselves patriots.
“I'm getting to this point in my life and my career where I want to be with people and sponsors that I'm connected to, which makes sense in this crazy world we live in today,” White said of the Bud Light partnership.
“And let me tell you what, if you consider yourself a patriot, you should be drinking gallons of Bud Light. Believe me when I tell you. Liters!'
When Carlson joked that he should boycott it instead, White continued, “Gallons of Bud Light! You should have Bud Light drums stacked in your garage and drinking them straight from the keg.
“They're way more aligned with you than some of these other beer companies, I guarantee you that.
'Take it from someone who knows it, who does business with beer companies. You are much more connected to Bud Light than any other beer company.”
The UFC's partnership with Bud Light upset both conservative drinkers, who quickly boycotted the brand, and liberals who said the company failed to respond in solidarity with Mulvaney.
DailyMail.com reported last month that Bud Light continued to drive down sales for Anheuser-Busch as the world's largest brewer reported a double-digit decline in U.S. sales last quarter.
Bud Light's investment will give the company a significant presence in the UFC Octagon
Their US sales fell 13.5 percent between July and September. The figure was based on sales per 100 liters, a common measure for beer sales.
In August, Modelo Especial officially triumphed over Bud Light when America's best-selling beer and Bud Light volume fell 26.7 percent.
“We had multiple bidders on the table, they were one,” White concluded.
“History has shown me that I've had relationships with other beer companies, me who leans more this way, me who considers myself a patriot – I don't go crazy with the whole patriot thing, but I consider myself a proud American… you are much more aligned with Anheuser-Busch than you are with other beer companies. I guarantee you that.'