Dana White is drawing heavy backlash online after making controversial comments about men’s mental health and modern masculinity during a recent podcast appearance.
Speaking on The Katie Miller Podcast, White criticized what he described as the growing culture of men publicly discussing emotional struggles on social media.
The longtime UFC boss argued that men are expected to serve as providers and leaders for their families, suggesting that openly sharing personal hardships online projects weakness. Dana White also weighed in on the ” toxic masculinity ” debate.
“I hate this whole men’s mental health stuff that they talk about,” White said. “Unfortunately, when you’re a man, you are the provider, you can’t be that guy posting on social media, ‘Oh I had a bad day and I’m so sad.’ It’s unattractive to other males, let alone women.”
The comments quickly sparked debate across social media, with many criticizing White for discouraging men from speaking openly about mental health issues. Others defended the UFC CEO, arguing he was emphasizing personal responsibility and traditional masculinity rather than dismissing mental health entirely.
Dana White Also Weighed In On “Toxic Masculinity” Debate
The conversation expanded beyond mental health as White discussed what he sees as the changing role of young men in modern society. Referencing the COVID era and broader cultural shifts, he claimed many men have felt “displaced” in recent years.
“These young men, I think, we went through COVID and the whole woke era and all the weird sh*t that went on during that period,” White said. “A lot of the young males felt displaced.”
The UFC head honcho also mocked criticism surrounding so-called “toxic masculinity,” a term frequently associated with online debates about gender roles and modern male culture.
“I grew up in the 80s when men were men,” White said. “Now it’s a whole other world out there.”
During the discussion, podcast host Katie Miller suggested many women still ultimately want men who fulfill traditional protector and provider roles. White agreed strongly with that viewpoint.
“It is never, ever going to change,” White said. “I don’t care how powerful a woman is, what she does. Women want to be taken care of, treated right, and they want to feel safe. It’s a man’s job to do all that.”