Former UFC Head of PR Ant Evans recently appeared on a podcast to discuss his nearly two-decade career with the organization and offered insights into the strategic pivot that transformed UFC into what many now characterize as a right-wing sport.
Evans, who worked with UFC from the early 2000s until 2019 was instrumental in establishing the UFC Hall of Fame. He also oversaw the organization’s public relations during its transition from Zuffa ownership to the Endeavor era.
During the conversation, Evans addressed how the ownership change affected UFC’s positioning in the cultural landscape. When asked about UFC’s transformation into a right-wing sport which many fans dispute, Evans was direct about the evidence.
“You say argue, they say it isn’t. And then you point out the evidence that it is, and they say nah. I mean, that’s not an argument,” he stated.
Podcast host John Nash referenced conversations with UFC executives who explained the strategic thinking behind this shift. According to these sources, when Endeavor acquired UFC company leadership recognized an opportunity.
Dana White had delivered a speech for Donald Trump at the Republican convention, which generated significant interest from right-wing business figures and executives who were frustrated with the NFL due to player protests involving kneeling during the national anthem.
He stated, “I talked to some people at the UFC, behind-the-scenes executives and stuff… They made a decision, probably because Dana White just did the convention speech for Donald Trump. And they had all this intrigue from some right-wing companies, but also from executives and stuff that were right wing. Because they’re like fed up with the NFL cuz everybody’s kneeling.”
Evans confirmed this account sounded plausible, explaining the business logic. “Yeah, that definitely sounds plausible.”
The strategic calculation was straightforward: while UFC struggled to attract traditional blue-chip corporate sponsors, they could compensate by cultivating relationships with B, C, and D-level sponsors from the right-wing business community. This approach opened new revenue streams from companies aligned with conservative politics and values.
Evans also discussed how the Endeavor era differs fundamentally from the Zuffa ownership period under the Fertitta brothers. While acknowledging he had mostly positive experiences during the Zuffa years, he pushed back against nostalgia for that era.
“A lot of athletes talk about how it was better in the Fertitta era, but at the same time, I’m of the argument like the Fertitta set up the era we’re in,” Evans explained. “Their intent goal was to create the monopoly of the UFC.”
The former executive noted that current complaints directed at Endeavor CEO Ari Emanuel actually stem from structures the Fertittas established. The business model designed to position UFC as the dominant force in combat sports was always the plan, created specifically so the Fertittas could sell the company for maximum value.
