With the sports card hobby continuing to grow, more and more collectors have entered the space in recent years. One of the highest-profile names to do so has been UFC President Dana White, whose passion for collecting has become well known throughout the hobby. I recently had the opportunity to sit down with Dana to learn more about that passion and discuss his collecting journey.
Where It All Began
To kick off our conversation, I asked Dana to think back to the very first collectible that started it all for him. While many collectors point to a childhood baseball card or comic book, Dana’s response was anything but ordinary.
“It was probably my Sabertooth Tiger skull,” White said.
Dana went on to explain that he’s always been fascinated by those types of collectibles. In addition to the Sabertooth Tiger skull, he also owns dinosaur teeth and even a Triceratops skull that he’s never even seen. It’s currently in storage because it’s so heavy that he’d need to reinforce the floor before displaying it.
Discovering the Hobby
From there, the conversation shifted to sports cards, where I was curious if childhood nostalgia had played a role in his interest in collecting them. Dana explained that while he remembers playing “leaners” as a kid, he never really collected or held onto cards, and that his passion for the hobby developed when the UFC Topps deal came to fruition.
With that, we dove into Dana’s incredibly valuable card collection. And while he acknowledged the importance of what his collection means to others, he explained that he ultimately just collects what he enjoys and has no intention of selling. When discussing whether he goes all out on player prospecting as a gambling fan, Dana admitted he went all in on a Roman Anthony card as a lifelong Boston sports fan, joking that it’s the only card he recalls buying that dropped in value.
The State of UFC Cards
I then pointed out that the five highest publicly recorded UFC card sales include three Conor McGregor cards, one Ilia Topuria card, and a Dana White card that recently sold. Calling it “crazy,” Dana said he knew his card was available and even tried to buy it before ultimately tapping out at around $50,000. Instead, he ended up purchasing the 2025 Topps Finest Gold Vinyl 1-of-1 dual autograph featuring both himself and McGregor for around $30,000.
Sticking with UFC cards, I mentioned that based on the sport’s growing popularity relative to current hobby values, they look like one of the best buying opportunities in the hobby today. Dana emphatically agreed and even pointed to his excitement for the upcoming launch of Zuffa Boxing cards. He’s already heavily invested, owning around five PSA 10s each of Jai Opetaia and Callum Walsh, who have already been released, and is looking forward to what’s ahead.
As we continued discussing UFC cards, Dana started thinking aloud about what was still on his radar to add to his collection. I mentioned the Donald Trump UFC Freedom Patch card, which he had previously spoken about wanting. He agreed and explained that he had the President wear a UFC Freedom Patch on his suit the night of the White House event, with that patch set to be featured in a 1-of-1 autographed card. He also revealed that he’s planning to put a $200,000 bounty on the card for whoever pulls it.
What Makes a Superstar?
I ended things by pointing out that it wasn’t surprising to see Conor McGregor own three of the five highest publicly recorded UFC card sales, just as it isn’t surprising that Ronda Rousey owns the highest publicly recorded sale among female UFC cards. I mentioned that while accomplishments are important, card values ultimately follow popularity, with accomplishments often serving as the prerequisite to reaching that level of fame. Along those same lines, I wondered whether the same principle applies when evaluating young fighters on the verge of superstardom.
Dana explained that the first and only thing they care about is whether a fighter can fight and become a world champion or at least a top-five contender. If they have even a drop of personality, he said, “it’s a home run,” adding that there’s a reason fighters like McGregor and Rousey are unicorns.
As our conversation came to a close, one thing stood out above everything else: behind the headlines and seven-figure cards is someone who simply loves collecting.
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JASON NEUMAN
Jason is an experienced basketball card collector with a focus on writing and educating others about the sports card industry. Find him on Instagram @jeancardz
